SITREP 13: KINSHASA FIGHTING (8/22 11:15 LOCAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001327 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2016 TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC KPKO CG SUBJECT: SITREP 13: KINSHASA FIGHTING (8/22 11:15 LOCAL TIME) REF: KINSHASA 1326 Classified By: PolOff KRBel for reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) CIAT Ambassadors are assembling as of 11:00 local time, under MONUC protective cover, in advance of their transport to a meeting scheduled with President Kabila at 11:30. ¶2. (C) At 10:55 local time, scattered gunfire was heard in the vicinity of the Embassy's JAO compound. ¶3. (C) At 11:10 local time, explosions and/or artillery fire were audible from the Chancery. ¶4. (SBU) Although the airport remains open, Air France cancelled its flight scheduled to arrive this evening, and will probably cancel the flight scheduled to arrive Thursday evening, August 24. Air Kenya likewise cancelled its August 22 flight from Nairobi, and may cancel its August 23 flight as well. ¶5. (C) Embassy personnel discovered this morning that sometime after midnight on 8/21, a stray bullet hit a GOV which was parked on the JAO compound and penetrated its window. MEECE