UNCONFIRMED REPORTS LINK SUDAN TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000270 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS CG SU SUBJECT: UNCONFIRMED REPORTS LINK SUDAN TO PLANES SUPPLYING LRA Classified By: Ambassador William J. Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Post has received several reports alleging that Antonov planes have air dropped supplies to the LRA at Banda, site of a March 14-15 LRA attack. One report states that at least one Antonov aircraft made a total of three drops near Banda on March 19. The source stated that the plane did not land at the airstrip in Banda. The source suspected the LRA received the drops since LRA were in and around Banda at the time and many of the locals had fled the area in the wake of the attack. The source also opined that the Antonovs may have been from Khartoum since the GOS has been known to support the LRA in order to destabilize Southern Sudan. ¶2. (SBU) A well-informed NGO source told us that he has heard rumors of Antonov aircraft, most likely from Sudan, air dropping supplies for the LRA in the vicinity of Banda. MONUC, during a March 20 briefing in Goma, also recounted that there had been air drops in the area. ¶3. (SBU) Meanwhile, a contact at MONUC's Joint Mission Analysis Cell told us on March 23 that the Catholic priest of Bondo, which has responsibility over Banda (though apparently the two villages are at significant distance from one another),denied that there had been any such air drops. Nevertheless, he did acknowledge that 20-25 LRA fighters had been reported near the Banda airstrip right after the attack. ¶4. (C) Comment: These disparate reports make it difficult to confirm whether any airdrops ever occurred. If the reports are true, this marks a continued erosion of the security situation in Haute Ulele and a disturbing escalation of outside support for the LRA. Post will continue to monitor this issue closely. End Comment. GARVELINK