DRC SITREP 1: KINSHASA FIGHTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001316 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2016 TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC KPKO CG SUBJECT: DRC SITREP 1: KINSHASA FIGHTING REF: KINSHASA 1314 Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Active fighting broke out in the Gombe neighborhood of Kinshasa around 4pm local time apparently between elements of the Presidential Republican Guard (GSSP),Congolese police, and security forces of Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba's MLC party. The fighting is apparently a continuation of violence which broke out August 20 prior to the announcement of provisional presidential election results (reftel). There are numerous confirmed reports of machine gun and mortar fire on the Boulevard 30 Juin of Gombe, apparently centered around MLC party headquarters. ¶2. (C) A CIAT meeting with Vice President Bemba at Bemba's riverside residence began at 3:30pm local time, shortly before today's fighting began. CIAT had gone to Bemba's following an emergency meeting to discuss the events and violence of the past day. The Ambassador has called DCM twice to reports that he and other CIAT ambassadors are presently in a safe room at the Bemba residence. SRSG Swing, also at Bemba's residence, has been in phone contact with President Joseph Kabila, and passed the phone to Bemba so the President and Vice President could speak to one another. The Ambassador conveyed a report that Bemba's helicopter has been destroyed. MONUC's head of security told RSO that armored personnel carriers (APCs) were on their way to Bemba's residence. ¶3. (C) PolCouns called at 4:30pm to report that the Minister of Interior said some members of the GSSP had been "taken hostage" by MLC forces. The Minister claimed security elements were reinforced with troops from near N'Djili airport. PolCouns reported again at 4:34pm local time that fighting had moved from near the MLC headquarters towards the area of the Presidential Palace, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Interior. ¶4. (SBU) All employees currently at the Chancery, JAO compound, and USAID building are on lockdown status. All employees currently at home have been advised to stay there. We have no reports of any injuries to AmCits. MEECE