366. Report Prepared in the Department of State1
According to reliable sources, during the past few days Algeria, Ghana, the UAR, and Sudan have been actively collaborating to provide military supplies to the Congolese rebels via Khartoum and Juba. On November 27 a Soviet manufactured UAR plane (an AN–12) arrived at Juba, in southern Sudan, where it unloaded so-called medical supplies destined for the rebels. Early in the morning of December 3rd a Ghanaian IL–18, which had left Accra the previous day, arrived in Khartoum with a load of small arms. It transferred its cargo to an Egyptian AN–12, which flew the load to Juba very early on the morning of December 4. At least four Algerian AN–12 military aircraft carrying arms had completed their mission flying roundtrip from Khartoum to Juba by December 4. Additional Algerian AN–12 aircraft flew to Juba that same day from Khartoum carrying cargo destined for Congolese rebels.
We also have information that prior to the fall of Stanleyville other African states were assisting the rebels. These included not only Congo-Brazzaville and Burundi but also Uganda. During October high Uganda Government officials visited Stanleyville to confer with rebel authorities. They supplied Stanleyville Radio with equipment and technicians. They also allowed more than 35 trucks from the UAR to pass through Uganda to Stanleyville and later provided the rebels with gasoline. Furthermore, on October 31 Uganda permitted an IL–18 to use its airfield at Arua to discharge arms for the rebels.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret. The memorandum, which bears no drafting information, is attached to a December 5 transmittal memorandum from Robert D. Baum, Deputy Director of the INR Office of Research and Analysis for Africa, to Palmer that reads: “In response to your request to Bob Good yesterday, we have prepared the attached statement [3 lines not declassified].”↩