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Rebels enter Chad's capital, fight around palace
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by Obi-Akpere | February 2, 2008 at 06:36 am
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Chadian rebels seeking to overthrow President Idriss Deby battled their way into the capital N'Djamena on Saturday and fought government troops around the presidential palace, diplomats and residents said.The sound of machine gun and heavy weapons fire could be heard in the capital as foreign embassies advised their citizens to stay in doors and take cover. Fighting was reported to be taking place around the presidential palace and the parliament.
"I can confirm they (the rebels) are in the city," a foreign diplomat told Reuters. The situation was confused and mobile phone networks were not working.
"Rebels are headed for the palace and are about two blocks from here. The rebels are winning," one foreign resident said in an email sent from the compound of a western embassy in N'Djamena, adding she could hear tank and mortar fire.
Rebels in pickup trucks mounted with machine guns had closed in on the capital of the central African oil producer in their most determined offensive in two years. They had fought confused battles with Deby's troops on Friday northeast of the city.
The French and U.S. embassies had started grouping their nationals for evacuation. But after the rebels entered the city, the French mission suspended the operation and told its citizens to stay at home, under cover, and keep away from windows.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said he had discussed the situation with Deby. France reinforced its military contingent in its former colony on Friday.
"The battle for N'Djamena has started," a Chadian opposition Web site said on Saturday, adding that civilians were fleeing the capital southwards towards the border with Cameroon.
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Jordan Yerman
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 09:51 on February 2nd, 2008
This only seems sudden because it's been ignored by most media outlets, or news agencies have been unable to get on the scene.
[q
url="http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/&articleid=331321&referrer=RSS"]"The
whole town is in the hands of the rebels, there is only mopping up;" an
Agence France-Presse source said.
France's embassy in Chad sent messages over Radio France
Internationale to tell citizens to head to the Lycee Francais high
school and two other locations in Ndjamena a French diplomatic official
said on condition of anonymity because government policy barred him
from providing his name.
France's military has about 1 400 personnel in Chad, about 1 200 of those in the capital.
The United States embassy said in a bulletin on its website that any
American citizens seeking evacuation should immediately move to the
embassy. State Department spokesperson Karl Duckworth said the embassy
had authorised the departure of non-essential personnel and family
members.
William Spindler, a spokesperson for the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, said 51 UN staff were evacuated from
Ndjamena to Cameroon overnight. The agency still had eight staff in
Ndjamena, Spindler said.
A hotel operator at the Hotel le Meridien, about 1,6km from the
headquarters of President Idriss Déby Itno, said gunfire and explosions
had been resounding through the capital since 7am.
The man, who would not give his name, said he had not seen any
rebels. The line went dead before a reporter could get more details.
Other phone lines were also dead and the information could be
immediately confirmed.[/q]
at 15:02 on February 2nd, 2008
Obi-Akpere, I like this story. It's good stuff. Recent reports announced that the rebels have guaranteed save passage for the President to leave the Palace.