NIGER: MNJ ATTACKS IN THE AGADEZ REGION CONTINUE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 001055 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS AF/W FOR T. AYBAR, DS/IP/AF, CA/OCS PARIS FOR AF WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ASEC MARR CASC PINR NG SUBJECT: NIGER: MNJ ATTACKS IN THE AGADEZ REGION CONTINUE TO RISE ¶1. Summary. The number of attacks conducted by the Mouvement Nigerien de Justice (MNJ) in the Agadez region continues to rise, with several incidents over the last couple of days, some resulting in the death of Government of Niger (GON) military personnel. Since April 2007, about a dozen land mine incidents and other violent incidents have occurred in northern Niger. A timeline of incidents (outlined below) catalogues the increasing insecurity in northern Niger. (Note: Embassy issued a warden message in April to recommend that U.S. citizens refrain from travel in the Agadez region. End note.) End summary. ¶2. On August 23, in two separate indicents, two commercial buses were held up while traveling between Arlit and Agadez. In the first incident, a Rimbo (company name) bus from Arlit was held up by five men riding camels. Reports indicated the men stole local currency equivalent to approximately 22,000 US dollars, then allowed the bus to continue to Agadez. In the second incident reported, a bus from another company (SNTV) that originated travel from Agadez was stopped by members of the Mouvement des Nigeriens pour la Justice (MNJ) driving three 4X4 Toyota near a town known as Asholan. Passengers were instructed to remove all their goods from the bus. The MNJ set the bus on fire, but did not steal any of the passengers goods. The passengers reportedly were told to deliver the message that no-one should be traveling to Arlit from Agadez. There were no reports of American citizens involved in either incident. ¶3. On August 21, local media and the MNJ website reported an attack on military personnel in Gougaram, an area that falls between Iferouane and Arlit, resulting in the deaths of soldiers. There has been conflicting information on the number of soldiers killed, with the GON officially reporting three soldiers killed, while the MNJ claims as many as 17 soldiers killed. Additionally, a supply truck traveling in the direction of Iferouane struck a land mine, again resulting in conflicting reports on casualties. In this latter incident, the GON reports three wounded soldiers and no deaths, while other reporting mentions one death. The GON claims a soldier died in an unrelated vehicle incident. ¶4. Date/Incident/Results -------------- AUG 23 (two incidents) - First bus stopped - Passengers removed, money stolen (Arlit); second bus stopped, passengers removed, then bus set on fire (Arlit) AUG 21 (two incidents) - Armed Attack - Soldiers killed/numbers reported range from 1 - 17 (Gougaram); Mine - Supply truck struck land mine, causing possibly one death AUG 20 - Mine - Military truck struck mine (12 km north of Agadez),4 soldiers killed/3 wounded AUG 14 (two events) - Mine - Civilian vehicle struck mine, passenger (possibly Chinese) injured (Agadez); Release - Six wounded soldiers released ( near Agadez) AUG 9 (two incidents) - Attack - No injuries reported (Tchighorzerine); Mortar - 2 civilians killed (northwest of Agadez) JUL 31 - Mine - Military police (FNIS) truck struck mine (Tourayat, 80 miles from Agadez), 4 military killed/3 wounded JUL 23 - Mine - Military truck hit mine, ambulance hit mine (Gougaram),7 wounded JUL 20 - Mine - PSI company truck hit mine (Abardokh),3 soldiers killed/1 wounded JUL 16 - Mine - Mining company truck hit mine (Gougaram),7 mining workers wounded JUL 15 - Release - Chinese mining company manager released (Agadez) JUL 8 - Attack - No reported injuries (on road to Ingall) JUL 6 - Kidnapping - Chinese national taken hostage (Ingall) JUL 4 - Attack - SONICHAR coal company, no reported injuries JUN 30 - Attack - 1 Nigerien military officer injured (Agadez) NIAMEY 00001055 002 OF 002 JUN 22 - Attack - 14 soldiers killed, 43 wounded, 47 held captive (30 released to Niamey for treatment) (Tazerzait) APR 22 - Mine - Ammunition and AK-47s taken, 7 soldiers killed/2 wounded (Iferouane) APR 19 - Mine - 1 military truck damaged, 7 soldiers killed/2 wounded, GON Military General uninjured (vicinity of Tadek) APR 15 - Mine - 3 military vehicles damaged, 3 soldiers killed, 2 wounded (north of Iferouane) APR 14 - Mine - 1 military truck damaged, no injuries reported ¶5. Embassy is closely monitoring the volatile situation in the north that to date, primarily has been targeting the GON military and entities related to the mineral resources that the GON hopes to exploit in collaboration with foreign investors. ALLEN