VZCZCXRO4026
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0810 2730931
ZNR UUUUU ZZH(CCY ADX00E03FD9 MSI9537)
O 290931Z SEP 08 ZDK CTG 0264W
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8500
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS KINSHASA 000810
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (PARA NUMBERS)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO PHUM PREF CG
SUBJECT: Goma Report September 27: Trouble
Brewing in Nyanzale Again
1. (SBU) Summary: After the FARDC's sweep into CNDP territory in
the northern sector, CNDP has responded with a move back toward
Nyanzale. FARDC continues to hold the key CNDP town of Tongo, but
has partially withdrawn from the Rutshuru zone of separation. End
Summary.
2. (SBU) On September 27, according to North Kivu brigade briefer,
local FARDC commanders in Nyanzale said that an "all-out war" with
CNDP was brewing, and they told NGOs to leave Nyanzale. (Nyanzale
was briefly occupied by CNDP during its northward thrust September
5-11.) FARDC has withdrawn from Katsiru (FARDC's base close to
CNDP), and CNDP has occupied Katsiru as well as points north of it
well into FARDC terrain. North Kivu brigade, which has a base in
Nyanzale, has witnessed a substantial build-up of FARDC there. CNDP
officers around Katsiru have refused to talk with North Kivu
brigade. CNDP claims to have "chased" FARDC back to Nyanzale.
3. (SBU) FARDC continues to hold the strategic CNDP town of Tongo
(on the escarpment overlooking the Rutshuru plain from the west),
having reinforced it from Rutshuru. North Kivu has verified that
the populace of Kabizo, to the north of Tongo, which was taken by
FARDC on September 25 and retaken by CNDP September 26, has entirely
fled toward the west.
4. (SBU) North Kivu brigade confirms that FARDC has withdrawn from
its forward position at Mutabo all the way back to Kiningi (near
Rutshuru). It has also withdrawn from Ntamugenga, but only a short
distance and not all the way out of the zone of separation. MONUC
is continuing its efforts to persuade local CNDP officers in the
Rutshuru area to participate in withdrawals. These CDNP officers
claim to be amenable, in principle, to further CNDP withdrawals, but
say they must refer to their command on all specific details.
5. (SBU) CNDP claims that FARDC, with FDLR and Mai Mai, are poised
for an attack on Ngungu from the south. MONUC has no such
information, and helicoptered a team of NGOs to Ngungu earlier in
the day.
BROCK