Cablegate: Sitrep 3: Morning Starts Calm in Chad

VZCZCXRO6931
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #0067 0320815
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 010815Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6042
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO PRIORITY 0894
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI PRIORITY 1470
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE PRIORITY 1041
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY PRIORITY 3038
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0158
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 1648
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUSNNOT/SOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000067

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 3: MORNING STARTS CALM IN CHAD

REF: NDJAMENA 66 AND PREVIOUS

-------------------------
GENERAL SECURITY SITUATION
--------------------------

1.(SBU) At 0900 hrs, N'Djamena was calm, with normal levels
of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Most public schools and
businesses remained closed. The Airport is operating
normally. Post received no reports of violence overnight.

2.(SBU) Rebel forces seem to remain at or near Massakory,
some 80-90 miles NE of the capital; Government forces are in
defensive positions around the capital; Pres Deby likely
returned to N'Djamena last evening.

3.(SBU) Media are reporting rumors that rebel leaders have
tried (or offered) to open negotiation with Deby's
government, seeking some form of "power sharing."

4.(SBU) In Eastern Chad, UN has relaxed its security posture
for humanitarian workers, but intends to keep them close to
regional center of Abeche, which is quiet city-wide.

---------------
EMBASSY POSTURE
---------------

5.(SBU) Ambassador briefed Chad Monitoring Group and EUCOM MG
Keane between 0730-0830 local time.

6.(SBU) Cellphones/SMS are no longer operational, but we
continue to have communication vis-a-via IVG lines, radio and
sat phones.

7.(SBU) All Embassy Community personnel, including TDYers,
are safe and accounted for.

8.(SBU) We are updating F-77 per Monitoring Group
instructions.

9.(SBU) We are responding ASAP to State 10329.

10.(SBU) Embassy will be closed to public but functional
today.

11.(SBU) Embassy will convene a follow-up EAC as first order
of business 1 February.
NIGRO

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