CHAD
France to boost forces in Chad
Friday, February 1, 2008
France will fly 150 troops to reinforce its 2,000-strong force currently stationed in Chad. The move is a precautionary measure to protect French nationals in Chad as rebels advance toward the capital Ndjamena, according to a Defense Ministry source.
Friday, February 1, 2008
By AFP
Chadian government troops led by President Idriss Beby Itno rushed back to defend Ndjamena after rebel leaders said they had advanced to the gates of the capital, a military source said, as France prepared to boost its forces in Chad.
"We are at the gates of Ndjamena," one of the three allied rebel leaders, Timan Erdimi, told AFP Thursday, saying a rebel column of 300 pick-up trucks each carrying up to 15 fighters had "divided into several groups around Ndjamena".
"There's no fighting for now," he said by satellite phone but issued an ultimatum: "If by tomorrow there are no negotiations, there will be war."
Government soldiers had initially driven east to intercept the rebels, but the head of state and a small escort returned to Ndjamena in the afternoon and formed a "belt" around the city, the military source said.
The rebel alliance led by Erdimi, Mahamat Nouri and Adbelwahid Aboud Makaye moved on Ndjamena after crossing southern Chad from bases in west Sudan, which Ndjamena accuses of backing the rebel militias.
The manoeuvring came on the day the advance guard of an EU peacekeeping force was due to begin deploying.
The head of the new European peacekeeping force in the country, General Jean-Philippe Ganascia, said any rebel advance would only delay, not divert, his mission.
France was to reinforce Friday its military force in Chad with an extra company deployed in Ndjamena to protect its nationals, a source close to Defence Minister Herve Morin said.
"Precautionary measures are being taken for the French nationals in the eventuality of trouble in Ndjamena, including a reinforcement of the Sparrowhawk group," the source said.
The French source said: "Late in the afternoon some of the rebels were seen 150-200 kilometres (95-125 miles) from Ndjamena, as the others had apparently dispersed."
The reinforcements, around 150 men previously stationed in Libreville, were to fly in to Ndjamena Friday morning.
Some 2,000 French soldiers have been deployed in Chad since 1986 under the codename Sparrowhawk.
Morin late Thursday wound up a 36-hour visit to the United States.
He said in Washington Thursday that Franch would fulfil its commitments to Chad, which include logistical support to the Chadian army and help with intelligence.
As night fell on Ndjamena the streets emptied and helicopters patrolled overhead, whilst France told its 1,500 citizens in the city to limit their movements.
The EUFOR mission is to protect refugees from the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur, just over Chad's eastern border, as well as Chadians and people of the neighbouring Central African Republic displaced by internal conflict.
Ganascia, the French general in charge of the mission, said the military stand-off in the country could delay his mission "by a few days" thanks to logistics problems, but not divert it.
"I am not concerned (by the rebel manoeuvres) unless during their offensive they threaten or attack civilians, or the non-governmental organisations, or UN personnel," he said in Abeche.
But he added that if the rebels confront the EU force "believe me, I will face them down."
France, Chad's former colonial master, closed down its school in Ndjamena as a precaution.
Observers had feared that rebels could begin a new offensive before March. "They have a window to fight before the effective deployment of the European force fixes positions on the ground, which the Sudanese want," one told AFP.
Both sides said French military reconnaissance planes, part of a permanent force stationed in the former colony, were flying over the ground to keep Chad's army informed.
About 234,000 Darfur refugees, along with 179,000 displaced eastern Chadians and 43,000 Central Africans uprooted by strife and rebellion in the north of their country, are housed in camps in the region.
The last clash in eastern Chad claimed several hundred lives on both sides in November 2007, and rebels last moved on Ndjamena in April 2006.
There are no reactions so far.
Be the first user to react to this article.
You will only have to select the button <<REACT>> and fill the indicated fields.
Your reaction
Your reaction has been sent to FRANCE 24. Thank you for your feedback.
France 24 - Send by e-mail
The article has successfully been sent by email
related links
-
Video
-
ARMEN GEORGIAN
02/01 10am GMT+1 FR24 International affairs editor
- ARMEN GEORGIAN
- 02/01 10am GMT+1 FR24 International affairs editor
- mms://video.france24.com.edgestreams.net/WB EN PLATO ARMEN 10H0201_400.wmv
-
EU - EUFOR
28/01 Françoise Tihon reports from Brussels
- EU - EUFOR
- 28/01 Françoise Tihon reports from Brussels
- mms://video.france24.com.edgestreams.net/WB EN DPLX EUFOR 16H_400.wmv
-
-
Photos
-
Animation
