ITURI UPDATE: FARDC CAPTURES NOTORIOUS MILITIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000783 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2016 TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO MOPS CG SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: FARDC CAPTURES NOTORIOUS MILITIA LEADER Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) According to MONUC Head of Office Sharouh Sharif, soldiers from the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) on May 16 captured militia commander General Innocent Kayinga (code-named "Indian Queen"). Kayinga was a leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) and one of the most wanted militia members in Ituri; he was also a founder of the Congolese Revolutionary Movement (MRC),an umbrella group of various Ituri militias established in 2005. (Note: The UPC's founder, Thomas Lubanga, was recently arrested by the International Criminal Court and transferred to The Hague to stand trial on war crimes charges. End note.) ¶2. (C) Major Gazali, the Chief of Intelligence for the MONUC Ituri Brigade, said the FARDC had ambushed UPC militia in the Dhego area of Djugu territory (north of Bunia) on May 13, during which four militia members were killed and several were injured. According to Gazali, on May 15 a civilian spotted Kayinga in the vicinity of Mongbwlau and alerted the FARDC. The following day FARDC troops captured Kayinga. Sharif said Kayinga was reportedly badly injured and was airlifted to MONUC medical facilities in Bunia. ¶3. (C) FARDC spokesman Captain Olivier Mputu said the FARDC next intends to target Mathieu Ngudjolo, a commander in the Front for National Integration (FNI) militia. MONUC sources report that Ngudjolo was injured in anti-militia fighting in Ituri earlier this month and is currently on the run. Mputu said an operation to capture Ngudjolo would be launched "soon." ¶4. (C) Comment: Momentum appears to be building in Ituri as the FARDC continues to make advances against militia forces. The capture of Kayinga, successful operations in Mahagi territory, and a strong stand against milita attacks in Nioka all in the last week indicate that the FARDC may be turning a corner in Ituri. Whether this momentum will last, however, may be dependent on the ability of the new FARDC commander, General Mbuayamba, to keep the FARDC engaged. Also contributing to the revived efforts of the Congolese military is the fact that many of the troops were recently paid for the first time in several months. End comment. MEECE