LRA LEAVES CAMPS, ATTACKS NEAR JUBA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 002527 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2016 TAGS: PGOV MOPS ASEC UG SU SUBJECT: LRA LEAVES CAMPS, ATTACKS NEAR JUBA Classified By: Acting P/E Chief Michael Honigstein, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Lord's' Resistance Army (LRA) combatants killed approximately 17 civilians in attacks on vehicles on major roads east of the southern Sudanese capital of Juba on October 18. Nine persons were confirmed killed on the Juba-Nimule road, a major transportation route between Juba and the Ugandan border. In that incident, the LRA attacked and burned three vehicles. Eight additional persons were reported killed in a second attack on another vehicle on the Juba-Torit road. The two incidents occurred in a general area 12-16 miles east of Juba. END SUMMARY. -------------- Attacks South of Juba after LRA Disperses -------------- ¶2. The approximate location of the attack on the Juba-Torit road was 4 degrees 41' 28.02'' North/031 degrees 44' 02.12'' East. The location is approximately 12.5 miles southeast of the main bridge crossing the Nile in Juba town. The attack on the Juba-Nimule road was at approximately 4 degrees 37' 52.85'' North/031 degrees 44' 24.56'' East. That location is approximately 16 miles from the Juba bridge. UN security personnel instructed all UN staff to suspend movement along these two roads for the next two days, except for cleared emergency movements. UN travel is also suspended on the Juba-Mongala Road and on the "NImule-Magwe-Parajok-Labone" road. ¶3. The attacks came in the aftermath of the dispersal of LRA forces from an assembly area at Owiny-Kibul, near the Uganda-Sudan border. An undetermined number of LRA forces had assembled at Owiny-Kibul--estimates ranged from 50 to 800--under the terms of a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Government of Uganda (GOU) and the LRA. The agreement was worked out in ongoing peace talks in Juba, mediated by Riek Machar, the Vice Preident of the Government of Southern Sudan. ¶4. The Cessation of Hostilities agreement expired September ¶19. In early October, a joint observation team comprised of representatives from all sides at the peace talks, traveled to Owiny-Kibul and confirmed that the LRA who had been assembled there were dispersed. However, the GOSS continued to distribute food and other supplies to some LRA elements in the general vicinity of Owiny-Kibul. -------------- ICC Indictee Attacks North of Juba -------------- ¶5. During the last week, there were reports of skirmishes between LRA combatants and villagers north of Juba. The skirmishes allegedly involved an LRA group led by Dominic Ongwen, a senior commander now under indictment by the International Criminal Court. Ongwen was reportedly attempting to cross the Nile from east to west. Ongwen, who had traveled to Owiny-Kibul from northern Uganda, was among the LRA commanders who subsequently left the assembly area. Sources in both the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) said Ongwen had been instructed to reunite with LRA chief Joseph Kony, believed to be in the Garamba National Park area of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. ¶6. On Saturday, October 14, UPDF forces reportedly clashed with Ongwen's group at Birinyang (or "Biliniang"),a location east of Juba near the sites of the latest incidents. The head of Uganda's External Security Organization, Angelefo Maku-Iga confirms that UPDF forces attacked the LRA group and inflicted casualties. A senior SPLA officer with responsibility for the Owiny-Kibul area, Maj. Gen. Wilson Deng, said he was still attempting to confirm UPDF involvement. ¶7. On Monday, October 16, according to Deng, the SPLA provided food and medicine to Ongwen's group. Ongwen had apparently requested the assistance after reporting to more senior LRA commanders that he needed new provisions and medicine to treat combatants injured in the clash with the UPDF. In a separate incident, confirmed publicly by both the LRA and the UPDF, LRA forces killed a UPDF captain at a location south of Juba on Tuesday, October 17. -------------- SPLA Angered, Talks Threatened -------------- ¶8. Another senior SPLA officer, Maj. Gen. Obuto Mumur Mette, KHARTOUM 00002527 002 OF 002 told Congen Juba staff that today's attacks on civilian vehicles were the result of a direct order by LRA second-in-command Vincent Otti to Dominc Ongwen. The SPLA was reportedly incensed The officer confirmed that today's attacks had incensed the SPLA. He said he expected SPLA forces to deploy in the area of the attacks on October 19 in "combat mode." ¶9. Late in the evening of October 18, chief mediator and GOSS VP Riek Machar remained huddled with advisors at the site of the peace talks. Neither the Ugandan government delegation nor the LRA delegation were present at the talks in the aftermath of today's attacks. HUME