MILITARY ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT FIGHTING AROUND MONROVIA

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
06769334
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
March 9, 2023
Document Release Date: 
September 3, 2020
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
F-2017-02018
Publication Date: 
July 22, 1990
File: 
Body: 
Approved for Release: 2020/09/03 C06769334 SE T YNOFORN (b)(3) Classified By: UNSPECIFIED Classification Reason: UNSPECIFIED Declassify On: April 26, 2042 (8/ NF) SUBJ: MILITARY ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT FIGHTING AROUND MONROVIA Identifiers: Messaging System: 90 0508912 Document Number: Ingestion ID: 34441782 GUIDE: guide://1012/ymg14 Dates: Date Acquired: approximated undefined 22-Jul-1990 Date Published: 22-Jul-1990 15:29:00 Date Received: 22-Jul-1990 16:28:20 Coverage: CIA Country Code: LBR Region: AFRICA, LIBERIA Publisher: Agency Acronym: CIA Office Name: NCS Warnings: /OC/NF) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE (U) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (U) INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASS S DIST: 22 JULY 1990 (U) REPORT CLASS-S-7"-e-R-E-T--VVARNING DISSEMINATION AND EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR. DECL._ BY RECORDED REPORTING OFFICER. ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLAsii-ic.:A i ION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.> ORIG, END OF MESSAGE SEGRET 411�ThF) 1. THE FIGHTING BETWEEN REBEL AND THE ARMED FORCES OF LIBERIA (AFL) INTENSIFIED OVER THE 21-22 JULY 1990 WEEKEND. NATIONAL PATRIOTIC FRONT OF LIBERIA (NPFL) FORCES TWICE ATTACKED THE LIBERIAN BROADCASTING STATION LOCATED IN PAYNESVILLE (06 17N 1041W) ON 21 JULY BUT WERE REPELLED BOTH TIMES BY AFL SOLDIERS FROM THE SPECIAL ANTI-TERRORIST UNIT. FIGHTING BETWEEN NPFL AND AFL FORCES ALSO OCCURRED ON DUPOR ROAD NEAR THE RESIDENCE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA IN PAYNESVILLE. COMMENT: (b)(1) THE VICE PRESIDENT IS NOT IN HIS RESIDENCE.). THIS AREA IS BEING HOTLY (b)(3) CONTESTED AS THE NPFL FORCES A PEAR TO BE ATTEMPTING TO BYPASS THE ELWA S ET/, NOFORN 1 (b)(3) (b)(3) (b)(1) (b)(3) (b)(3) (b)(1) (b)(3) (b)(1) (h)cl) '(b)(1) (b)(3) (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2020/09/03 C06769334 Approved for Release: 2020/09/03 C06769334 SE ET/ NOFORN REDLIGHT AREA (06 14N 10 42 ) TO ENTER THE OLD CONGOTOWN AREA (06 16N 10 44W) OF MONROVIA. X/F�H1F) 2. AFTER LEARNING THAT SPECIAL SECURITY SERVICE (SSS) DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS GEORGE ((THOMAS)) HAD BEEN CAPTURED AND EXECUTED BY JOHNSON'S REBEL FACTION, THE COMMANDER OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION GUARD (EMG) BRIGApIER GENERAL DAVID ((NIMELY)) ORDERED THE USE OF THE BM-21 STALIN ORGAN AGAINST THE REBELS IN THE FREEPORT AND NEW KRU TOWN AREAS. SSS DEPUTY FOR ADMINISTRATION SAMUEL ((ADJAVON)) WAS ALSO CAPTURED BUT HIS FATE IS UNKNOWN. DOE WAS UPSET OVER THE EXECUTION AND ACTING MINISTER OF STATE WISSEH ((MCCLAIN)) WAS SO SHAKEN THAT HE WAS REDUCED TO TEARS. COMMENT: THE POPULATION IN THE FREEPORT AND NEW KRU TOWN AREMS FAIRLY DENSE AND THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE AFL ARTILLERY FIRE IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH.) 10/ NF) 3. AS OF 22 JULY APPROXIMATELY 500 OF 1,000 EMG SOLDIERS REMAIN POSTED AT THE MANSION. THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO REINFORCE UNITS AT THE NEW BRIDGE AND IN PAYNESVILLE. SOME EMG SOLDIERS HAVE BEGUN TO EXPRESS A FEAR OF DYING AND ARE THREATENING TO DESERT. THESE SOLDIERS NOTE THAT THERE IS A LIMITED SUPPLY OF FOOD (THEY BELIEVE THE SUPPLY IS DOWN TO JUST TEN BAGS OF RICE) AT THE MANSION AND THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THEY COULD HOLD OUT FOR LONG. THEY ALSO BELIEVE DOE SHOULD RESIGN AND TURN THE GOVERNMENT OVER TO AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER FACTIONS OF EMG SOLDIERS WHO INSIST ON FIGHTING TO THE DEATH AND HAVE THREATENED TO KILL EVERYONE INCLUDING PRESIDENT DOE BEFORE THEY SURRENDER TO THE REBELS. THE GENERAL BELIEF AMONG SENIOR MILITARY OFFICERS AT THE MANSION IS THAT ONCE THE NEW BRIDGE ACROSS THE MESURADO RIVER LEADING INTO MONROVIA PROPER IS LOST, THE REBELS WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FREELY THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THE OFFICERS ALSO FEAR THAT SOLDIERS FROM THE 3RD BATTALION LOCATED AT BARCLAY TRAINING CENTER (06 18N 1048W) WILL DESERT OR JOIN THE REBELS; THUS, MAKING THEIR TASK OF DEFENDING THE MANSION MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. Collection: CC Creator: Agency Acronym: CIA Office Name: NCS Description: (U) None Language: en Precedence: 0 SET/ NOFORN 2 (b)(3) (b)(3) (b)(1) (b)(3) (b)(1) (b)(3) (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2020/09/03 C06769334