Rebels seize Chadian border town

June 14, 2008 (LIBREVILLE) — Chadian rebels fighting their way towards the capital Ndjamena took control Saturday of a town near the Sudanese border as former colonial ruler France condemned the rebel advance.

Rebel and humanitarian sources told AFP that the town of Goz Beida, about 75 kilometres (46 miles) from the Sudanese border, was in rebel hands.

“We captured Goz Beida … after 40 minutes of fighting. The survivors of the Chadian army took flight,” said rebel leader Abdelwahid Aboud Makaye by telephone.

“We have 500 pick-up trucks with well-armed men. Our aim is to take Ndjamena by the weekend which we will, God willing,” he said, adding that the government had used two helicopter gunships but “we fired at them.”

A humanitarian source from the town, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, added: “There are rebels in the town. There are shots being fired and I hear cries of joy.”

France on Saturday issued a veiled warning to the rebels, saying in a statement that “any armed action targeting Chad and its institutions can only be condemned.”

“We call on all concerned parties to find a political solution,” said a French foreign ministry statement.

Rebels in Chad said Friday they were fighting their way toward Ndjamena and threatened to target any French aircraft flying reconnaissance missions over their positions.

But a Chadian government spokesman dismissed claims of a rebel advance.

France, which has had a military presence in Chad since 1986, supplied most of the troops for the European Union EUFOR peacekeeping mission in the east of the country, on the border with Sudan and the war-torn Darfur region.

The rebels alliance in the east of Chad called on France to stop flying intelligence missions in a statement read out to AFP by Ali Gueddei, spokesman for an alliance of rebel factions.

“We are making a last, solemn appeal to France for it to immediately cease its state of belligerence towards the armed forces of the opposition,” said Gueddei, reading a prepared statement by telephone.

France would be better advised to “stop its repeated provocations” in providing the government forces with intelligence through its aerial reconnaissance missions, said Gueddei.

Rebels attacked Ndjamena in February, reaching the presidential palace in an attempt to drive out President Idriss Deby Itno. A similar unsuccessful coup attempt was made in 2006.

But another rebel alliance spokesman, Abderaman Koulamallah, said the latest rebel force had some 500 to 600 vehicles and 7,000 to 8,000 men at their disposal, nearly double the number of the February offensive.

Since April, the army has largely had the upper hand in clashes in eastern Chad with extra resources deployed since February, according to European military officials.

Relations between Chad and Sudan have been difficult for more than five years with the two countries regularly accusing each other of supporting rebels fighting against their respective regimes.

Diplomatic relations were broken off in mid-May after an attack near the Sudan capital Khartoum by a Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement. Ndjamena denied any involvement.

(AFP)