AREAS AROUND SAKE UNDER CONTROL OF MONUC, FARDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001794

SIPDIS

CORRECTED COPY - TEXTUAL CHANGE IN PARAGRAPH 1

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PGOV KPKO MOPS CG
SUBJECT: AREAS AROUND SAKE UNDER CONTROL OF MONUC, FARDC

REF: KINSHASA 1787

KINSHASA 00001794 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (SBU) Summary: Areas around the North Kivu town of Sake
were retaken late November 27 by joint forces of the
Congolese military (FARDC) and MONUC peacekeepers. Locations
on the outskirts of Sake had briefly fallen under control of
non-integrated FARDC troops loyal to dissident General
Laurent Nkunda after fighting in the region November 25-27.
End summary.


2. (U) Elements of the non-integrated pro-Nkunda FARDC 81st
and 83rd Brigades gained control of the hills around the town
of Sake, 15 miles northwest of the North Kivu capital of
Goma, by November 27 after two days of fighting with the
FARDC's 11th and 14th Integrated Brigades (reftel). According
to MONUC military reports, the renegade elements regrouped
the night of November 26 and began moving the morning of
November 27 on 11th Integrated Brigade (IB) positions in
Kasingazi, three miles east of Sake. MONUC Indian
peacekeepers responded by launching helicopter gunships and
firing several dozen rockets to halt the advance. The MONUC
attack halted the movement of the dissident forces, but 11th
IB soldiers in Kasingazi reportedly ran out of ammunition and
subsequently abandoned their positions and withdrew towards
Goma.


3. (SBU) Subsequent to this advance, another group of
soldiers from the 81st and 83rd Brigades moved towards Sake
from positions in the surrounding hills. MONUC peacekeepers
in the town, supported by MONUC attack helicopters,
successfully repelled this attack as well. MONUC military
reports indicated the renegade troops from the 81st and 83rd
began vacating some of their positions around Sake around
noon November 27. Elements of the 11th and 14th IBs
subsequently re-entered Sake and took up their
previously-abandoned posts with additional MONUC fire support.


4. (SBU) By 1900 local time November 27, MONUC reported all
the hills around Sake were re-occupied by members of the 11th
and 14th IBs with MONUC support. An additional battalion from
the 10th Military Region in South Kivu was flown to Sake to
reinforce FARDC positions. A company of MONUC South African
peacekeepers and the Guatemalan special forces company have
also been deployed to the region for additional security.
Intermittent firing between elements of the Integrated
Brigades and the 81st and 83rd Brigade troops was reported
during the evening. Initial reports from MONUC indicated
there was some sporadic gunfire around Sake the morning of
November 28, but hostilities appeared to have ceased for the
time being.


5. (SBU) The town of Tongo, about 30 miles north of Goma, is
still under partial control of elements of the 83rd Brigade.
The 9th IB Commander, General Mayanga, had claimed his
soldiers had recaptured the town November 27. MONUC patrols
to the area disputed his claim, reporting that the 9th IB
held only parts of Tongo. MONUC reports the town of Nyanzale,
near Rutshuru, is also held by the 83rd Brigade.


6. (C) As reported reftel, a delegation consisting of DSRSG
Haile Menkarios and Interior Minister Denis Kalume met with
regional officials November 27. FARDC ground forces commander
General Gabriel Amisi reportedly told members of the
delegation that the renegade troops had plans to capture Goma
the evening of November 27. The information was reportedly
obtained from the debriefing of a captured soldier of the
83rd Brigade.


7. (C) MONUC Force Commander General Babacar Gaye briefed
CIAT ambassadors regarding the situation in Sake the
afternoon of November 27. Gaye said the Integrated Brigades
performed "miserably" against the pro-Nkunda troops. In an
unusually frank assessment, he further stated that Kabila
must realize that "he has no army." Gaye made it clear the
FARDC's lack of logistics, rations and ammunition precluded
it from doing much in battle.


8. (C) Gaye also noted that there were reported exchanges of
fire between elements of the 83rd Brigade, suggesting there
was some lack of unity within that group itself.


9. (U) The CIAT issued a communique late November 27
condemning the use of force and calling for an immediate
cease-fire. The statement urged both sides to return to their
previous positions and called for all non-integrated units to

KINSHASA 00001794 002.2 OF 002


submit immediately to the demobilization and disarmament
process.


10. (U) Few additional casualties have been reported since
November 26. Three FARDC soldiers from the two integrated
brigades and one civilian have been killed in the fighting. A
total of 55 FARDC troops and 20 civilians were injured.


11. (SBU) Comment: Thanks to quick MONUC intervention the
situation in Sake was contained quickly. The poor performance
of the FARDC points to the necessity of the new government to
make military reform a top priority during the next few
months. The continued presence and menace of the
non-integrated troops must also be addressed immediately if
such reforms are to succeed. End comment.
MEECE