NO CASULTIES AFTER SALVO FIRED FROM DRC INTO RWANDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000238 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C, AND INR, EUCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2017 TAGS: MOPS PREL MONUC KPKO CG RW SUBJECT: NO CASULTIES AFTER SALVO FIRED FROM DRC INTO RWANDA Classified By: Poloff GLearned for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (U) Summary. At approximately 21h00 local time on 3 March a barrage of direct and indirect fire was directed from North Kivu into a unoccupied area in Northwest Rwanda by an unknown unit suspected to be from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). No casualties were reported by the GOR or MONUC after the estimated 20 minute incident. Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) leaders quickly contacted their Congolese counterparts to prevent any escalation and the situation is currently calm. Details vary according to the source, but the incident appears to have been isolated and the GOR has indicated that it plans no further reaction other than discussing the incident in the upcoming Tripartite Plus talks. End summary. GOR's Version -------------- ¶2. (C) In a 5 March meeting with MONUC-Kigali military observers (milobs),the GOR described the attackers as North Kivu based FDLR troops intending to instigate a Rwandan retaliatory strike by firing from a position 400 meters from an RDC Armed Forces (FARDC) position. (Note. The GOR made the accusation that the FARDC's 91st Battalion consisted of a significant number of integrated FDLR-FOCA troops. End note.) The salvo- consisting of indirect (60mm mortars),machine gun, RPG and rocket (107mm Kaytusha) fire- impacted on open ground in two cells in Busasamana Sector, Rubavu District, Western Province, no casualties or property damage resulted. BrigGen Richard Rutatina (RDF J3- chief of operations, training and plans) told MONUC reps that the attackers continued to fire as they withdrew from their initial firing positions near the DRC-Rwanda border in order to create the impression that the RDF returned fire into the DRC. Rutatina denied any Rwandan retaliation and an RDF intel officer, Major Tinka, claimed that Rwandan military intelligence was aware of the impending attack. (Note. MONUC contact did not know how the RDF acquired its warning. End note.) ¶3. (C) After communicating the RDF's version of events, Rutatina handed the MONUC milobs a letter titled "Aggression and Violation of Rwanda's National Sovereignty and Integrity" signed by RDF Chief of General Staff General James Kabarebe. Rutatina concluded the meeting by telling the MONUC milobs that he had no confidence in MONUC or the FARDC as they had failed to disarm and repatriate the genocidal forces and prevent continued attacks on Rwanda. MONUC's Version -------------- ¶4. (C) According to Kigali based MONUC poloff (protect) an investigation is on-going. An initial MONUC situation report indicated that the "firing was initiated by suspected FDLR cadres to create confusion." Initially, MONUC units reported that the Rwandans returned fire with machine guns and mortars, however, MONUC has backed off from these reports until further investigations are completed. On 4 March, MONUC radio station "Radio Okapi" reported that the details of the incident were undetermined. ¶5. (SBU) Comment. The positive aspects of the incident include the lack of casualties and the apparent close coordination between Rwandan and Congolese leadership to defuse the situation. GOR officials have privately criticized MONUC for the failure to prevent the incident, but, in Kigali press reporting, have noted the upcoming Tripartite Plus talks as the appropriate mechanism to address the security situation. Despite the current problems in North Kivu, it appears at first blush that this isolated border incident, the first in a few years, was an unsuccessful attempt by the FDLR to trigger an RDF response. End comment. ARIETTI