BORDER TENSION BETWEEN CHADIAN AND SUDANESE

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001320 SIPDIS SENSITIVE, SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PREF CD SU SUBJECT: BORDER TENSION BETWEEN CHADIAN AND SUDANESE FORCES REF: N'DJAMENA 1281 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Despite talk of reconciliation between Chad and Sudan, the Chad/Sudan border north of the Abeche corridor appears to be the scene of continued tension between Chadian and Sudanese forces. End Summary. GOS VS GOC AT THE BORDER -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Head of UNHCR's Iriba Field Office reported in a November 7 conversation with Poloff that the Sudanese Government of National Unity (GNU) is waging both visible and behind-the-scenes campaigns against the Government of Chad (GOC). Authorities in the border market town of Tine, for example, confirmed to UNHCR the October 26-27 bombardments by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) of the villages of Ouudour, Bamena (1.5 km inside Chadian territory from the Sudan border) and Keles (3km from the Sudan border and 27 km from Tine proper). Tine authorities reported at least ten killed and four wounded in the Keles bombing. (Comment: This information supercedes that in reftel which reported that the Sudanese bombing could not be confirmed. End Comment). Other Embassy sources have told us that buildups are taking place near Bahai where Chadian National Army (ANT) and elements of the Sudanese-rebel National Redemption Front (NRF) are facing off against the SAF and elements of the Chadian rebel movement. ¶3. (SBU) UNHCR described a virtual face-to-face stand- off between the SAF and the ANT in Tine, with only a wadi (a seasonal watercourse) separating forces of both sides. Given this proximity and accompanying escalation of tensions, rumors of further cross-border attacks abound. According to UNHCR, the Iriba Police Commissioner told them of alleged plans by the Janjaweed to attack Tine to drive Chadian civilians out so that the militias could raid its commercial centers; however, such an attack has not yet materialized. GNU EFFORTS TO CONSOLIDATE CHADIAN REBELLION -------------- ¶4. (SBU) According to UNHCR, when not employing the SAF or reportedly inciting the Janjaweed to carry out its military campaigns against the GOC, the GNU is actively engaged in consolidating elements of the Chadian rebellion. The GNU allegedly hosted a November 3 meeting in El Geneina in which members of the Chadian SCUD rebel group were asked to join the UFDD-led alliance, which aims to install former Chadian Defense Minister Mahamat Nouri as Chadian President. Four SCUD members refused the invitation on the grounds that they would not support a member of the Goran tribe (to which Nouri belongs) as President. At least two of the four, COL Abakar Kessou and COL Mouktar Brahim Nargas, were reportedly killed by Sudanese "death squads" after this refusal. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Rumors abound concerning the situation at the border, and we have taken this one with a grain of salt. However, if the murder of these two SCUD members is true, this report would indicate that the GNU is losing patience with the rag-tag nature of the Chadian rebellion and is actively seeking to make it a more credible threat to the Deby regime. The GOS efforts may also run the risk of fragmenting them further. ¶6. Tripoli minimize considered. Wall