Rebels 'seize' two Chadian towns
Chad's army has been unable to stop attacks in the east
Rebel forces in Chad say they have captured the eastern town of Biltine, hours
after another group said it had taken control of nearby Abeche. The
government has denied that either town is under rebel control, although the
army said it had withdrawn troops from Abeche for tactical reasons. Several
rebel groups in eastern Chad want to depose President Idriss Deby. Observers
say this appears to be the first time two rebel groups have launched
co-ordinated attacks. The BBC's Stephanie Hancock in the Chadian capital,
N'Djamena, says this could prove a turning point in Chad's rebellion. A
spokesman for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he was concerned by the
reports of violence in Chad. "The secretary general reiterates his
condemnation of any attempt to seize power by force. He urges the Chadian
protagonists to engage in dialogue," the spokesman said. Heavy gunfire The
first attack came at around dawn in Abeche, about 700km (440 miles) east of
N'Djamena.
Eyewitness: Battle for Abeche
Aid workers and residents reported heavy gunfire as rebels approached the
city, and small arms fire was heard in Abeche itself. The rebel group
involved, the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD), later
issued a statement saying its men had taken over Abeche with little resistance
from the Chadian army. However, the government continues to claim that the
rebels are not in control of what is a key town in the east. Speaking on
national radio, the Chadian army's second-in-command said troops had withdrawn
to the outskirts of the town for tactical reasons and to avoid civilian losses.
He urged people to stay calm and accused neighbouring Sudan of backing rebel
forces in Chad. The UFDD's leader, Mahamat Nouri, told the BBC he would
continue to fight until his men had captured Chad's capital, N'Djamena.
Ethnic clashes Hours later, a second rebel alliance claimed that it had taken
control of the town of Biltine, some 80km (50 miles) to the north of
Abeche. Chad's defence minister told the BBC a column of rebel vehicles had
been detected in the Biltine area but denied rebel claims the town had been
taken. Rebel groups want to oust President Idriss Deby's
government
On Friday there were reports of as many as 200 rebel vehicles circulating in
eastern Chad and the Chadian army was on full alert. The last major rebel
attack was in April, when rebels drove from eastern Chad to N'Djamena before
being overpowered. Much of Chad is under a state of emergency, after ethnic
clashes which are reported to have killed hundreds of people in recent weeks.
The French embassy in Chad issued warnings to its citizens, following reports
that rebels in the east were planning a new offensive and moving west.
Conflict in Sudan's Darfur region has spilled across the border into Chad,
which accuses the country of exporting its violence. Khartoum denies this.
The UN estimates that more than 200,000 refugees from Sudan are in Chad and
that more than 50,000 Chadians have been displaced by fighting between Arab and
non-Arab groups. Sudan denies claims that it backs Chad's rebels, while Chad
denies supporting the black African rebels in Darfur.
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