CHADIAN UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 001371 SIPDIS SIPDIS LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS. EUCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF MOPS CD SUBJECT: CHADIAN UPDATE REF: N'DJAMENA 1369 Classified By: Poloff John O'Leary. Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) There are no reports of new rebel movements today, 11/28. There are unconfirmed press reports that Mahamat Nouri's United Front for Democracy and Development rebels shot down a Chadian military aircraft northeast of Abeche with a SAM-7 missile taken from Chadian army stores in Abeche. A UNHCR officer, however, does confirm that a Chadian military Marqeutti reconnaissance plane is missing. ¶2. (C) There is a report that a Chadian policeman was killed last night in a confrontation with Chadian National Army (ANT) soldiers of the Zaghawa ethnic group (President Deby's) in N'Djamena. The locus of the confrontation is unknown. There are two independent reports that ANT Zaghawa soldiers tried to occupy private Western residences last night. They succeeded in moving into one residence that is currently vacant but gendarmes convinced them to leave this morning, but only after they looted and caused significant damage to the house. There are numerous unconfirmed reports that Chadian army soldiers are confiscating private cars and motorcycles/mopeds. ¶3. (U) In light of possible ANT restlessness in the city, the EAC is once again encouraging American citizens to limit circulating after sundown and urging Americans to be off the streets by 2100 hours. The EAC is also urging citizens to avoid concentrations of loitering soldiers. ¶4. (U) The Embassy is issuing a new warden message to reflect concerns about the activities of ANT personnel. The EAC will reconvene tomorrow to reassess the situation. The Ambassador is scheduled to meet with President Deby tomorrow morning, after the palace canceled a meeting scheduled for this afternoon. WALL