LRA UPDATE: MONUC AND GDRC CONTINUE PATROLLING

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001930

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2015
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL CG
SUBJECT: LRA UPDATE: MONUC AND GDRC CONTINUE PATROLLING
BORDER WITH SUDAN


Classified By: PolCouns MSanderson, reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) For the last three weeks a force of approximately
2,000 FADRC troops, supported by 170 Nepalese MONUC troops,
have been deployed in the northeastern part of Orientale
province, patrolling the border with Sudan. Their mission is
to detect and repel any negative forces attempting to enter
the DRC from Sudan. PolCouns spoke November 22 to one of the
MONUC operations planning officers based in the Kisangani
divisional headquarters to get an update on these operations.


2. (C) The MONUC officer said that in the last weeks, the
FADRC/MONUC elements had had scattered skirmishes with small
armed groups (10 or fewer) of undetermined affiliation. None
of these skirmishes resulted in fatalities or prisoners.
MONUC also has received reports that similar small groups
(again, 10 or fewer in each group) might be periodically
present in the Garamba National Park (at the border with
Sudan),but the officer said that the FADRC/MONUC forces
patrolling the Park have had no contact with armed elements
there, nor have they found traces of the presence of such
groups. The mission (including within the Park) is expected
to continue for at least the next three weeks.
DOUGHERTY