CLASHES CONTINUE IN WEST DARFUR

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000064 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF SE WILLIAMSON ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO KSEC SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: CLASHES CONTINUE IN WEST DARFUR REF: KHARTOUM 35 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Heavy clashes in West Darfur continued January 13 - 15, with confirmed GOS aerial attacks on JEM rebel positions. There were also additional reports of Chadian aerial incursions into Sudan. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) During discussions with poloff January 15, UNAMID contacts confirmed reports that the Government of Sudan (GOS) conducted aerial attacks 40 kilometers northwest of Geneina against JEM rebel targets in Abu Soruj and Sirf Jaj on January 13 and 14. According to UNAMID contacts, a confrontation on the ground between the two forces is "imminent." INGO Concern's Country Director Janardhan Rao, who is based in Geneina, told poloff that JEM has taken control of Salea and Kulbus and has surrounded Geneina. ¶3. (SBU) Media reported on January 15 that Members of Parliament questioned Minister of Defense LTG Abd-al-Rahim Muhammad Hussein about reports of Chad aerial attacks in Sudan in a closed door session at the National Assembly on January 14. MPs reportedly described Hussein's response as disappointing because he would not conclusively state if Chadian troops or airplanes were operating in Sudan or not. Embassy contacts have reported that Chadian aircraft attacked Chadian rebels in Sudan about five kilometers outside of Geneina (Reftel). ¶4. (SBU) Several JEM/KI spokesmen told FieldOffs January 14 that the major problem in West Darfur is the "huge" presence of Chadian rebels. JEM/KI says the Geneina Hospital is full of Chadian rebels and Geneina market is packed with their vehicles. JEM/KI claimed that the Chadian government recently bombed them by air in Wadi Rati, 13 kilometers from El Geneina, thinking they were Chadian rebels. They take seriously Chadian President Deby's threats that he plans to declare war on Sudan and fight the Chadian rebels in Sudan. Despite Chadian efforts, JEM/KI told FieldOff that Chadian rebel forces from Mahamat Nouri and Timan Eridimi have reconstituted themselves after having been nearly destroyed by Chadian forces. ¶5. (SBU) Concern Country Director Janardhan Rao told poloff on January 15 that Concern has been told by the GOS that the areas surrounding the towns of Kulbus and Salea are unsafe for humanitarian operations. Rao said that Concern has accepted GOS' warnings at face value and has suspended its nutrition, water/sanitation, and health programs, which provide services to 24,000 people. Emilia Casella, spokeswoman for the U.N.'s World Food Program (WFP),told the media January 15 that "all the roads around el Geneina are no-go areas right now," adding that she estimated that 160,000 people do not have access to food due to the security situation. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: Though Chad and Sudan have apparently increased attacks on each other via rebel groups in each others territories, for now they have stopped short of declaring war or breaking off diplomatic relations. Neither country has the capacity to restore security to the border area, and in the absence of peacekeeping forces to closely monitor the situation, international NGOs remain the best source of information. If attacks persist, NGOs in Geneina may be forced to curtail their operations even further. FERNANDEZ