Sudan president appears on TV, announces severing relations with Chad

May 11, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan broke off diplomatic relations with Chad on Saturday, blaming its neighbor for a foiled rebel attack against the Sudanese capital.

Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir appeared on Sunday morning wearing his military uniform for the first time since his return late yesterday evening from the Saudi Arabia after performing the pilgrimage.

In a 4 minute speech, Al-Bashir announced the diplomatic relations with Chad have been broken. He further said he holds Chad responsible of the foiled attack by the Justice and Equality Movement troops against the Sudanese capital.

He also said Sudan reserves the right to reply to this attack.

Separately Chadian Ambassador to Washington told Sudan Tribune by phone that Sudanese forces wearing “regular forces uniform” attacked the Embassy of Chad in Khartoum on Saturday evening.

“They broke into all the offices of the embassy including that of the ambassador and seized all the documents and computers” Mahmoud Adam Bechir said.

On April 14, 2006, following a first rebel attack against the Chadian capital Chad severed diplomatic relations with Sudan.

(ST)