EUFOR peacekeeping officer warns Chad could be invaded
February 25, 2009 (LONDON) – An Irish commander in eastern Chad serving with a peacekeeping mission known as EUFOR warned that Chad could be invaded in the wake of the International Criminal Court move against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
Speaking with Irish Times, Commandant Dan Harvey disclosed that up to 5,000 rebels are congregating on the Sudan side of the border. Ireland has some 400 troops in Goz Beida.
“This is becoming a cornerstone issue,” Harvey said of the impending ICC decision, which comes March 4. “It’s the aftermath, or the reaction to that, is what’s of concern. That could affect the regional situation.”
“We are aware of groups of rebel factions inside the border in Sudan, with some of them up to 1,500-strong,” said the commander.
From the Chadian end, the rebel chief of the Justice and Equality Movement, Khalil Ibrahim, threatened to topple the Sudanese president in an interview given outside N’Djamena which was published Tuesday in the London-based The Times, though a rebel spokesman downplayed the statements.
Irish Defence Minister Willie O’Dea is traveling to visit the Irish camp. The EUFOR is mandated by the UN Security Council but led by the European Union, though a complete handover to the UN is expected next month.
(ST)