MINUSTAH'S LAUNCHES LARGEST OPERATION YET IN CITIE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000283 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR DRL S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV MOPPS MARR KCRM ASEC UNSC HA SUBJECT: MINUSTAH'S LAUNCHES LARGEST OPERATION YET IN CITIE SOLEIL ¶1. This message is sensitive but unclassified -- please protect accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) MINUSTAH troops on February 9 initiated an operation to take control of the Cite Soleil neighborhood of Boston from gang leader Evans Jeune. Initiated sometime around 0200, the battle between MINUSTAH and gang members was ongoing as of the afternoon of February 9. MINUSTAH's intelligence unit (JMAC) deputy, Mike Center (strictly protect),told Polcouns that he expected the operation could last up to another 48 hours. However long it took, he added, the headline would be "Evans loses control." Center said that MINUSTAH troops had quarantined the entire neighborhood as a first step and that Evans and his lieutenants would not escape. MINUSTAH would insure, he stressed, that gang members could surrender if they chose. MINUSTAH sources report two casualties: a Bolivian wounded in the foot, and a Jordanian struck by a falling electrical pole. ¶3. (SBU) Comment. With the operation ongoing, post's MINUSTAH contacts are as yet unable to give us a clear picture of the results, but the scope of the operation is striking. With over 700 troops from over 7 different national contingents participating, this is both the largest and most integrated of any offensive action yet undertaken by MINUSTAH. This appears to bear out what we have been hearing about newly arrived Force Commander Dos Santos Cruz; he is an effective and decisive leader committed to solving the gang problem. This is also further confirmation of SRSG Mulet's overall effectiveness in leading MINUSTAH. SANDERSON