NORTH KIVU UPDATE (9/25/07, 18:00 GMT): LIMITED

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001151 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2017 TAGS: MOPS PGOV ASEC CG SUBJECT: NORTH KIVU UPDATE (9/25/07, 18:00 GMT): LIMITED SKIRMISHING BUT NO RENEWED HOSTILITIES Classified By: PolCouns DBrown (reasons 1.4 b/d) ¶1. (U) Limited skirmishes broke out in several locations in North Kivu in the early morning of September 24 between Congolese military (FARDC) troops and elements of renegade General Laurent Nkunda's forces, but had died down by midday. No casualty figures were available. ¶2. (SBU) FARDC Deputy Regional Military Commander for North Kivu Col. Delphin Kahimbi told us the September 24 that Nkunda loyalists had attacked FARDC positions in Ngungu, Karuba, Mweso, and Jtn, all about 25-40 miles west-northwest of Goma in Masisi Territory. He said elements of the 14th Integrated Brigade (IB) were involved in the Ngungu and Karuba fighting; the 15th IB in Jtn. A spokesman for the CNDP, Nkunda's political arm, was quoted on the wires claiming it was the FARDC that had attacked, and accused it of using FDLR and Mayi-Mayi fighters in support. ¶3. (SBU) FARDC Chief of Staff General Dieudonne Kayembe and MONUC Force Commander General Babacar Gaye visited Sake on September 25. They found Sake, where MONUC peacekeepers had deployed between the two sides on September 7 to impose an informal ceasefire, "quiet for now," according to MONUC-Goma Head of Office Ulli Mwambulutuku, who accompanied them. ¶4. (C) Mwambulutuku told us both sides appeared more interested in maintaining current positions that in fighting. He said it was difficult to determine which side may have fired first in the September 24 incident. He said isolated skirmishes had continued, but interpreted these as opportunistic movements rather than a resumption of hostilities. ¶5. (C) As an example, a MONUC internal report noted firing in the general area of Mure Mure, located between Karubu and Kagano, at approximately 6:20 a.m. on September 25, but did not interpret this as evidence of renewed hostilities. The report indicated Kahimbi informed MONUC's North Kivu Brigade that FARDC troops moving to reinforce Karuba were fired on by Nkunda forces. BROCK