SITREP 1: CHAD REMAINS JITTERY AS REBELS ADVANCE

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000065 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR OPS, AF/C, DS, CA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PINR CASC MOPS SU CD PINS ASEC SUBJECT: SITREP 1: CHAD REMAINS JITTERY AS REBELS ADVANCE REF: NDJAMENA 64 AND PREVIOUS -------------- MISSION POSTURE -------------- ¶1. (SBU) As of 15:10, January 31, the U.S. Embassy is staffed with the following personnel: AMB, A/DCM, OMS, POL/ECON, CONS, IPC, PAO, FMS, FMO, GSO, RSO (2) and DAO, as well as selected locally engaged staff. All other personnel and eligible family members (EFMs) are at standfast at their respective residences. Post continues to advise all previously scheduled officials visits to Chad be canceled until further notice. Ambassador and others are in close contact with their French and UN counterparts. The EAC will reconvene at 16:15 hours local to review security posture and discuss authorized departure plans. -------------- SITUATION ON THE GROUND -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Chad remains jittery as rebels advance across the country and may reach the capital within the next 24 hours. President Deby has moved outside N'djamena to lead the fight and intercept the Chadian rebels before they reach the capital. ¶3. (SBU) French Ambassador tells us that rebels are at Amdjemna 70 miles west of Ati on the Abeche-N'djamena road, between two Chadian government formations. One government formation is pursuing the rebels from Abeche (exact location of this force is unknown),the other located at Ngoura, 120 miles west of N'djamena and 60 miles east Amdjemena. The French fear that the Chadian government forces will be forced to engage the rebels before the Chad forces have achieved maxium numerical superiority over rebels. If the Chadians engage prematurely or if the rebels force an engagement before Chadians bring their superior numbers to bear, a rebel victory will leave the road to N'djamena open to them. The Chadian government plan is to bring all their forces to engage the rebels, ideally from both east and west. Rebels reportedly have surrounded all major towns, including Abeche. ¶4. (SBU) Further to reftel, there still has been no ground fighting with government troops. An Embassy contact told PolOff that rebel movement spokesman Acheikh Ibni Oumar is interested in starting negotiations with government, with U.S. or AU as facilitator, on the grounds that the rebel movement does not want bloodshed. ¶5. (SBU) The French Embassy, the UN, and other international organizations have instructed their staff to standfast in their residences. The Exxon-Mobil led oil consortium has ordered all family members to depart the country. Schools and banks are closed. NIGRO