ITURI UPDATE: MORE THAN 200 MILITIA MEMBERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000980 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2016 TAGS: PGOV KPKO CG SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: MORE THAN 200 MILITIA MEMBERS SURRENDER IN TWO DAYS REF: A. KINSHASA 959 ¶B. KINSHASA 966 Classified By: POLOFF CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Internal MONUC military documents report that from June 20-21, more than 200 militia members voluntarily surrendered to MONUC and FARDC troops in Ituri. On June 20, 60 militia members surrendered to Pakistani peacekeepers at Nizi, turning over more than four dozen AK-47 rifles. The same day, 20 militia members in Bambu surrendered to MONUC forces, relinquishing a reported 18 AK-47 rifles and one grenade launcher. On June 21, MONUC military officials report that 131 militia members turned themselves over to Pakistani peacekeepers, again at Nizi, bringing with them more than 100 AK-47 rifles. Since the FARDC announced a new June 30 disarmament deadline (ref A),nearly 500 militia members throughout Ituri District have reported to disarmament sites. MEECE