JUNE 20 VIEWING OF CAPTURED CHADIAN REBEL WEAPON

C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 000247 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (LINE REMOVED) SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR AF/C AND S/USSES NSC FOR GAVIN LONDON FOR POL -- LORD PARIS FOR POL -- KANEDA ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2014 TAGS: PREL SU CD SUBJECT: JUNE 20 VIEWING OF CAPTURED CHADIAN REBEL WEAPON STOCKS Classified By: Charge d'affaires Sue Bremner, for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (SBU) FM Moussa Faki Mahamat convoked the diplomatic corps June 20, describing for the hastily-assembled group the June 7 capture by Chadian military units of two Toyota trucks bearing a large stash of weaponry in the vicinity of Bahr Keita in Chad's southeastern Salamat Province. According to debriefs of the drivers (related by Faki),the vehicles entered Chad from the CAR June 7, having left a Chadian rebel base at Khor Khiyama in Sudan June 4. The drivers said their commander was Adoum Yacoub (aka Kougou),and that the weaponry was bound for elements originally under the command of Djibrine Dasser, one of the Chadian rebels captured by Chadian National Army forces in May. ¶2. (SBU) Faki also gave a brief statement accusing Sudan of continuing to destabilize Chad despite the defeat of "Sudanese mercenaries" (Chad rebels) in early May. He offered that Chad had made efforts to normalize relations with Khartoum, but that the Bashir regime remained duplicitous. ¶3. (SBU) Faki, flanked by the CHOD, escorted the diplomatic corps to view the weapons -- including 120 rifles, 10 cases of anti-vehicle mines, five cases of grenades, five cases of ammunition, 91 rockets, and 350-some loaded and unloaded rocket launchers, some bearing Chinese manufacturers' markings. The group was then dismissed. ¶4. (C) Comment: Diplomats noted with puzzlement the delay between the capture of the weapons June 7 and their display outside the Foreign Ministry June 20. They noted with alarm the small boys playing near the pile of grenades, eager to get a closer look. (Soldiers quickly chased the children away.) The convocation to view rebel weapons follows several attempts in May to assemble the diplomatic corps and other N'Djamena-based dignitaries and citizens to view captured rebels themselves. BREMNER