Chad’s rebels say govt using mercenaries, deny Sudan support
April 15, 2006 (PARIS) — Rebels trying to overthrow Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno on Saturday denied receiving support from the government in neighbouring Sudan and accused him of recruiting European mercenaries and rebel fighters from Sudan’s Darfur region to stay in power.
“Following the very serious accusations made against Sudan by Idriss Deby, we categorically deny any intervention by neighbouring countries,” the rebels said in a statement.
“We are independent from Sudan like from all other foreign countries,” the statement said, adding that their movement was “a popular uprising.”
The statement was issued jointly by the rebel United Front for Change (FUC) and a dissident faction of the opposition Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJT).
Chad broke off diplomatic relations with Sudan on Friday, accusing it of arming FUC rebels who tried to storm the capital N’Djamena on Thursday. Clashes between the rebels and the armed forces killed around 400 people.
The MDJT long fought to overthrow Deby before signing a peace deal with his government in August 2005. But a dissident faction of the party still refuses to accept that peace deal and now appears to have joined forces informally with the FUC.
Deby, who is fighting for his political life after 16 years in power, has also threatened to expel some 200,000 refugees who fled to Chad from the Sudanese region of Darfur, in retaliation for the rebel offensive on Thursday.
Darfur is in the throes of a civil war pitting Janjaweed militia loyal to the Sudanese government against rebels, some of whom come from the same Zaghawa ethnic group as Chadian President Deby.
The FUC is alleged to be supporting the Janjaweed militia in Darfur.
On Saturday the FUC and MDJT faction accused Deby’s regime of recruiting fighters from among the Darfur rebels.
“We have proof — we have captured several prisoners from Darfur’s armed rebel movement,” they said.
The two groups also accused Deby of recruiting European mercenaries to fight them, with the help of former French gendarme Paul Barril.
Barril denied the charges.
“It’s totally false,” he said.
He said he had “never been in the mercenary business” but was “a technician in the fight against terrorism” who advised several heads of Arab states and other countries.
(ST/AFP)