DJIBOUTI/SOMALIA: TFG FORCES BEGIN WEAPONS TRAINING; FRENCH

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 001031 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF, AF/E, AND AF/RSA LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA-WATCHER AFRICOM AND CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/08/06 TAGS: MASS MOPS KPKO PREL SO DJ UG FR SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI/SOMALIA: TFG FORCES BEGIN WEAPONS TRAINING; FRENCH TRAINING COMMENCES REF: 09 DJIBOUTI 951 (AND PREVIOUS); 09 DJIBOUTI 991; 09 DJIBOUTI 881 09 NAIROBI 1641 CLASSIFIED BY: Eric Wong, Charge d'affaires, ad interim, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy, Djibouti; REASON: 1.4(A),(D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Military recruits for Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG),undergoing training by Djibouti's armed forces (FAD),have nearly reached the midpoint of their anticipated three-month program of instruction, which includes a human rights component as well as collective training (up to the platoon level). The TFG recruits have now progressed to live-fire weapons training, with Djiboutian instructors. Separately, French forces in Djibouti (FFDJ) have received most of an anticipated 160 TFG forces who will participate in a French-sponsored six-week training course. Among the 160 are 10 officers (including 3 colonels) who will serve as officers for both the Djiboutian- and French-trained TFG forces, once they return to Somalia. The Djiboutian military has requested assistance from the USG to transport TFG forces back to Mogadishu; the GODJ also awaits a formal USG response to previous requests (ref B) for equipping the TFG forces with uniforms and personal kit, and for replenishing the FAD for two weapons shipments delivered to the TFG in May 2009. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Djibouti's ongoing efforts to prepare military forces for Somalia's TFG continues, with the approximately 460 Somali TFG recruits at the Djiboutian military's Hol Hol military school now into the fifth week of training since their arrival in early July (ref C). TFG recruits began live-fire weapons training (with AK-47 assault rifles) on July 26, using ranges at Hol Hol. ¶3. (C) The formal program of instruction (POI) prepared by FAD for the Somali TFG contingent includes both a human rights component and collective training (up to the platoon level). The POI includes 32 hours of instruction that cover civics and human rights. Collective training includes 8 thirty-six hour blocks on collective tasks, such as reconnaissance, movement to contact, attack, defend, ambush, etc. -------------- --- REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WITH AIRLIFT TO MOGADISHU -------------- --- ¶4. (C) BG Hassan A. Kamil, operations and logistics director for the Djiboutian armed forces (FAD),told Embassy's Security Cooperation Officer that the GODJ seeks USG assistance to transport the approximately 460 trainees back to Mogadishu in four tranches, from September 22-28, 2009. (NOTE. The FAD transported the trainees from Mogadishu to Djibouti via commercial aircraft chartered from Mogadishu-based Juba Airways, at an approximate cost of USD 180,000. END NOTE.) -------------- -------------- UGANDAN PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS DIFFICULTIES WITH TRAINING SOMALIS -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) On July 18, three Ugandan military officers (Kabamba Military Academy commander COL Mathew Gureme, Bihanga training school commander COL John Kaganda, and LT James Mukwano) met with French and U.S. representatives at French military headquarters in Djibouti. The UPDF presentation focused on lessons learned by the Ugandans from previous training of ethnic Somali forces, and highlighted difficulties arising from cultural, linguistic, and ethnic differences between Ugandans and Somalis. FAD representatives did not participate in this meeting. -------------- -------------- FRENCH FORCES BEGIN 6-WEEK TRAINING OF TFG TROOPS -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) During a July 30 working luncheon with AFRICOM Commander General Ward and Emboffs, French Ambassador to Djibouti Dominique DeCherf confirmed that approximately 140 Somali TFG recruits had arrived recently for training in Djibouti at French military facilities. The majority were Hawiye, DeCherf said. A total of 160 trainees (150 recruits and 10 officers) were expected; however, some 30 had been sent back to Somalia due either to poor health or suspicion of being under-aged (i.e., below 18). (NOTE. According to Somali TFG DCM, the first tranche of recruits to be trained by the French arrived in Djibouti via commercial air on July 25, at the same time that 300 TFG trainees reportedly arrived in Uganda for training by the UPDF. END NOTE.) ¶7. (C) In an August 1 meeting with OSD(P)/ISA/African Affairs Principal Director Wiesner (SEPTEL),Abdillahi Mohamed Abdillahi, deputy director of Djibouti's National Security Service, stated that the 10 TFG officers (who include 3 colonels) would serve as officers for both the 150 French-trained TFG forces and the approximately 460 Djiboutian-trained forces, once they returned to Somalia. ¶8. (C) According to Amb. DeCherf, the duration of the French training was 6 weeks, and would occur at outdoor camps "outside Arta", rather than at existing air-conditioned French barracks, in order to match environmental conditions in Somalia. The 160 were to be a pilot phase for an additional 350 TFG trainees anticipated to arrive in the fall, following the end of Ramadan (i.e., late September/early October). ¶9. (C) Commander of French forces in Djibouti (FFDJ),General Philippe LeFort, observed that the FFDJ had borrowed AK-47s from the Djiboutian armed forces in order to provide weapons training for the TFG recruits, as it would not have been beneficial to train them on French weapons. Similarly, the FFDJ was using LandRover vehicles for training in Djibouti, but acknowledged that Toyotas were more likely to be used in Somalia. The Somali recruits being trained by the French were using borrowed French uniforms that would have to be returned at the end of training, due to French legal restrictions on the use of current French uniforms by foreign forces. ¶10. (C) COMMENT. Djiboutian training is going well and has exceeded expectations. U.S. personnel -- including AFRICOM principals (ref A),Embassy Nairobi Somalia Unit poloff (ref D), and SOCAF elements -- have been allowed repeated access to the Hol Hol training site, in order to conduct informal observation of training. The lack of cultural and language barriers between Somali-speaking Djiboutian trainers and TFG recruits has been a huge benefit to the integration of forces. Recent indications from senior GODJ principals that Djibouti is considering deploying approximately 500 Djiboutian troops to serve in Mogadishu with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM),not only highlights how important stabilizing neighboring Somalia is to Djibouti, but also raises the possibility that Djiboutian military officers may be able to continue to mentor Djiboutian-trained TFG troops in Somalia. END COMMENT. WONG