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Chadian rebels battle with government troops for third day

High-level officials and diplomats from the Republic of Congo and Libya are to arrive in Chad on Tuesday on an African Union mediation mission, amid an attempted coup by rebels in the oil-rich country

  • Agencies
  • Published: 12:52 February 5, 2008
  • Gulf News

N'Djamena: High-level officials and diplomats from the Republic of Congo and Libya are to arrive in Chad on Tuesday on an African Union mediation mission, amid an attempted coup by rebels in the oil-rich country.

Hours after rebels resumed attacks on Monday, the UN Security Council authourised France and other nations to offer assistance to Chad's government. France has 1,800 soldiers backed by fighter jets in its former colony.

"We are in direct war with [Sudanese President] Omar Bashir," said General Mahamat Ali Abdallah Nassour said Tuesday on Radio France Internationale. "It is Omar Al Bashir who wants to destabilise and Balkanize Chad."

About 300,000 of N'Djamena's 700,000 people have fled across the Chari River into Cameroon, said Levourne Passiri, Chad director for US charity World Vision.

"They are now occupying local schools or just resting under trees. They have no real shelter, no food and no water," he said.

Human Rights Watch said it had reports that Chadian security forces were detaining political opposition leaders, "using the fighting as a pretext for settling scores with the unarmed opposition," said acting Africa director, Georgette Gagnon.

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