INCIDENTAL INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R000801110022-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: December 29, 1984
• Content Type: CABLE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/11: CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801110022-7
a7GVRGT
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TOR: 290527Z DEC 84
OLL/LD
INCOMING
RR RUEAIIB
ZNY SSSSS ZOC STATE ZZH
STU9655
RR RUEHC
DE RUTABA #6300 3631410
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 281338Z DEC 84
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8651
INFO RUQMDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 3258
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 7058
RUEHMG/AMEMBASSY MOGADISHU 8176
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1461
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0338
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
BT
S E C R E T ADDIS ABABA 6300
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: ET, PINR, MOPS, UR
SUBJECT: INCIDENTAL INTELLIGENCE
2. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED IN PART BY
THE ITALIAN MILITARY ATTACHE, WHO HAS VISITED ERITREA AND
TIGRE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DURING DECEMBER. OTHER PORTIONS
OF THIS REPORT R J, T TION OBTAINED BY DCM WHILE
ACCOMPANYING TRAVELS IN TIGRE AND HARARGE.
A. ERITREA.
ITALIAN MILITARY ATTACHE SAYS THAT FROM DECEMBER 25 THROUGH MORNING
OF DECEMBER 26, FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS, AN ETHIOPIAN HEAVY
ARTILLERY BATTALION ENGAGED EPLF FORCES APPROXIMATELY 10 KMS SOUTH OF
ASMARA. ON DECEMBER 27 THE EPLF ATTACKED ADIGWADAD, A TOWN SOUTH OF
ASMARA, AND FAILED TOTAKE IT. ON DECEMBER 19 THE EPLF OCCUPIED FOR ON
E
NIGHT THE ROAD JUNCTURE TOWN AT DEKEMEHARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSASS-
INATING THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE WORKERS PARTY OF ETHIOPIA RESIDENT
IN THAT TOWN. THEY SUCCEEDED. THE ITALIAN MILITARY ATTACHE WAS ABLE
TO OBSERVE AN ANTONOV 12 (CUB B) MILITARY AIRCRAFT USING AEROFLOT
MARKINGS. THE PLANE HAD FOUR PODS AND 25 EXTERNAL ANTENNAS. THE PLANE
DEPARTS ASMARA AT APPROXIMATELY 0730 AND RETURNS AT APPROXIMATELY
1700
HOURS EACH DAY. IT IS THE ITALIAN MILITARY ATTACHE'S BELIEF THAT THIS
PLANE IS DEVOTED STRICTLY TO SIGNAL INTELLIGENCE. THERE ARE SEVEN
ADDITIONAL ANTONOV 125 (CUB A) STATIONED AT ASMARA. FOUR BRIGADES OF
THE 19TH INFANTRY, PLUS THE HEADQUARTERS, HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO
ERITREA TO BE STATIONED NORTH OF ASMARA IN THE AFABET AREA.' IN THE
SAME TIME FRAME, A BATTALION OF ETHIOPIAN ARMOR HAS BEEN MOVED IN
DECEMBER FROM ASAB TO MERSA KUBA. IN THE AREA OF AFABET THE EPLF
LAUNCHED SOME PROBING ATTACKS ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 15.
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B. TIGRE.
ITALIAN MILITARY ATTACHE CONSIDERS THE CITY OF MAKELLE TO BE WELL
DEFENDED. HE SAYS THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1,000 REGULAR ETHIOPIAN
TROOPS STATIONED IN AND AROUND MAKELLE. IN ADDITION, THE GARRISON HAS
PERSONNEL CARRIERS AND TANKS WHICH ARE DUG IN ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF
MAKELLE. FROM THE MANNER IN CHICH THE TANKS ARE DUG IN IT APPEARS THA
T
THEY ARE BEING USED PRIMARILY FOR DEFENSIVE MOGILE ARTILLERY PIECES.
THERE IS NO NIGHT PATROLLING BY ETHIOPIAN FORCES AND MOST OF THE
FORCES APPEAR TO BE IN STATIC, DEFENSIVE POSITIONS. CURRENTLY
MAYCHEW IS SERVED BY ARMED CONVOYS FROM MAKELLE AND/OR HELICOPTER
FLIGHTS. A RUNWAY IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN MAYCHEW IN LATE
JANUARY/EARLY FEBRUARY; IT WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE SINGLE-ENGINE, LIGHT
AIRCRAFT. BY THE END OF MARCH THE ETHIOPIANS HOPE TO HAVE A RUNWAY
WHICH WILL TAKE THE EQUIVALENT OF C130S/ANTONOV 12S.
C. HARARGE.
ITALIAN MILITARY ATTACHE HAS INFORMATION, YET TO BE CONFIRMED, THAT
THE ETHIOPIANS ARE FORMING AND TRAINING A MECHANIZED DIVISION IN THE
JIJIGA AREA. DURING DCM'S TRIP TO JIJIGA WITH CODEL KENNEDY HE WAS
TOLD THAT "A NEW MILITARY CAMP IS BEING SET UP NORTH OF JIJIGA." NO
FURTHER DETAILS WERE ELICITED BUT IN FLYING INTO JIJIGA FROM DIRE DAW
A
A LARGE CONCENTRATION OF MILITARY VEHICLES WAS OBSERVED. IN DIRE DAWA
ON DECEMBER 21, UNLIKE ON PREVIOUS VISITS. THERE WAS NO RPT NO CUBAN
PRESENCE OBSERVED IN THE CITY, EITHER IN THE RESTAURANTS OR ON THE
STREETS. AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 HOURS, ON A TRIP FROM DIRE DAWA BY
ROAD, SUUTH, ALONG THE RAILWAY TRACKS, FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 KMS..
NO MILITARY OR POLICE SECURITY WAS VISIBLE.
3. WE HAVE HEARD FROM VARIOUS SOURCES THAT THERE IS
A SPECIAL UNIT OF SOVIET MILITARY IN AND AROUND ADDIS
ABABA. THE ITALIAN MILITARY ATTACHE HAS ALSO HEARD
THIS REPORT AND HIS SOURCES STATE THERE ARE 300
SPECIAL SOVIET FORCES AKA RAIDONNIKI. THE ITALIAN
MILITARY ATTACHE AND THE EMBASSY'S MSG NCOIC HAVE
SEEN THESE NEW SOVIETS AND DESCRIBE THEM AS IN EXCELLENT
PHYSICAL CONDITION, HEIGHT APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET-EIGHT
INCHES TO SIX FEET, CREWCUT HAIRCUTS. SOME OF THOSE
OBSERVED SPEAK AMHARIC. AN AMERICAN EMPLOYEE OF THE
EMBASSY WHO LIVES NEAR THE OLD AIRPORT REPORTS THAT
THAT INSTALLATION APPEARS RECENTLY TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN
OVER BY THE SOVIET MILITARY. THEY STAND GUARD AT ITS
GATE AND TRUCKS CARRYING SOVIET SOLDIERS REGULARLY ENTER
AND LEAVE THE OLD AIRPORT COMPOUND.
KORN
END OF MESSAGE SECRET
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