FORMER JANJAWEED IN SAF CLASH WITH SLA-MINAWI AND OTHER

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002518 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN NSC FOR BOBBY PITTMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KPKO SOCI AU SU SUBJECT: FORMER JANJAWEED IN SAF CLASH WITH SLA-MINAWI AND OTHER SAF IN EL FASHER REF: KHARTOUM 2469 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A series of conflicts has erupted in El Fasher between former Janjaweed integrated into the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and both SLA-Minawi members and other SAF forces. These Janjaweed, who have been absorbed into the SAF Border Guard and Intelligence Forces, have looted markets, threatened shopkeepers, and exchanged fire with SLA-Minawi troops within the city. Regular SAF units were deployed to control the situation on October 12, which led to some skirmishes between these troops and the former Janjaweed. -------------- -------------- FORMER JANJAWEED CREATING PROBLEMS WITH ALL SIDES -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On October 10, a fight broke out between these former Janjaweed and two SLA-Minawi members in the El Fasher market. Some SLA-M soldiers responded by apprehending a former Janjaweed SAF soldier and holding him at their compound, which is near the AMIS Forward headquarters. A series of low-level verbal and physical confrontations ensued until October 12, at which time Senior SLA-Minawi commander Ali Mukhtar told Active Response Corps (ARC) officer that the two sides resolved the issue and the soldier was released. Mukhtar observed that these former Janjaweed are seemingly refusing to take orders from Sudanese regular army officers. ¶3. (SBU) During the same period, the former Janjaweed SAF Border Guards and Intelligence forces allegedly harassed shopkeepers and looted stores, leadng to many stores refusing to open due to the threat. On October 12, the Wali of North Darfur, Othman Mohammed Yousif Kibbir, delivered a personal plea to shopkeepers at El Fasher's main market to return to work. ¶4. (SBU) While the Wali was speaking, the former Janjaweed soldiers began brandishing weapons at merchants who complained. Regular SAF troops intervened and the former Janjaweed soldiers fled after an exchange of small-arms fire. The Wali pledged to increase security at the market and a platoon-sized element of SAF paratroopers were positioned near the market's entrance and at other access points in a show of force. ¶5. This is not the first report of fighting between regular SAF forces and former Janjaweed integrated into the SAF Border Guards and Intelligence. Tensions boiled over in September when fighting erupted on a local military base in El Fasher between the two groups. Senior AMIS officers believe these former Janjaweed are taking orders directly from Khartoum and refuse to accept the authority of the local SAF chain of command. HUME