SLA/M REP ALLEGES IMPENDING ATTACKS

S E C R E T KHARTOUM 001053 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO AU UN SU SUBJECT: SLA/M REP ALLEGES IMPENDING ATTACKS REF: KHARTOUM 00974 Classified By: CDA A. Fernandez, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Mahboub Idris Abdulrasool, chairman for the North Darfur Security Arrangements Committee and a member of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)/Minawi, informed S/CRS Poloff on June 24 that National Congress Party (NCP) functionary Ismail Abdalla Barghouth had convened a recent meeting at his home to organize simultaneous attacks to destabilize the security situation in advance of the arrival of the UN/AU hybrid peace-keeping force. Several senior Sudanese government officials and key Arab and African tribal leaders are reported to have attended the meeting, including Omda Mahdi from Abu Dilieg, Omda Bannaga from Kalamindo, Omda Mukhtar from Dar el-Salaam, Omda Muaz from Dar Sumbat, Omda Sidig Abbas from Tuweisha, Omda Ibrahim Adamo from Um Dirisai, North Darfur Deputy Wali Idris Abdalla, Kalamindo Commissioner Ibrahim and Minister of Tourism, and Youth and Culture Commissioner Nasraddin Baggal Siraj. ¶2. (S) Abdulrasool said Sudanese officials at the meeting ordered the Omdas to assemble 3,000 fighters in Tuweisha to fortify Janjaweed militia from east Jebel Marra in preparation for attacks on Shangil Tobaya, Dar el-Salaam, Wadaa, Abu Dilieg and Mashroua, and El Fasher. He said that many Toyota Land Cruisers had been staged in Tuweisha and that government security services would oversee the preparations for the attacks. ¶3. (S) Comment: While we have not been able to verify this information, non-governmental organizations have reported an increase in the number of internally-displaced persons in the area around Dar el-Salaam as a result of fighting between rebels and Government-supported forces. A Sudanese government representative and another SLM/Minawi representative confirmed an increase of activity in the area around Tuweisha. There have also been rumors that National Redemption Front (NRF) fighters are operating in the area (reftel). End comment. FERNANDEZ