ITURI UPDATE: SKIRMISH BETWEEN FNI AND FARDC

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001922 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO CG SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: SKIRMISH BETWEEN FNI AND FARDC ¶1. (SBU) A December 24 skirmish between Peter Karim's FNI and FARDC forces in Juba territory, Ituri District left at least one government soldier dead and caused some civilians to flee to the forest. It is unclear who fired first, but according to MONUC, FNI militia members took several FARDC locations in Juba territory, including Fataki and Djugu, on December 24. The FNI reportedly had vacated Fataki by December 25, however, and MONUC NepBatt troops were patrolling the town. MONUC soldiers patrolling nearby Buba met FNI troops who said the security situation in that town was calm. The FARDC retook Djugu town December 26. ¶2. (SBU) A FARDC soldier in Ituri reported the fighting began December 23 as a result of a personality clash. A FARDC 6th Brigade officer, formally a member of Karim's FNI militia, had a long-standing dislike for one FNI militia member among several who arrived for army integration in Djugu. An argument erupted, and both sides began shooting into the air. The FNI militia members regrouped in the bush and over the course of the next day, attacked several towns in Juba territory in reprisal. No civilian casualties were reported in the fighting. DOUGHERTY