Rebel advance puts Chad capital on alert
N'DJAMENA, April 12 (Reuters) - Chad government troops reinforced the capital N'Djamena on Wednesday and embassies took security precautions in response to reports that rebels were moving closer to the city, residents and diplomats said.
Security sources, who asked not to be named, said a French military aircraft on a surveillance flight had spotted a rebel column at Massenya, 160 km (100 miles) southeast of the capital of the landlocked central African oil producer.
The rebels have vowed to try to oust President Idriss Deby before elections next month and their presence at Massenya would be the closest they had come to the capital since they launched a succession of hit-and-run attacks from the east on Sunday.
Although it was not clear that the reported rebel force intended to attack N'Djamena, embassies were activating contingency plans which included the possibility of evacuation.
France has around 1,200 troops in Chad under a military cooperation accord and France's RFI radio said these were on standby to help with an evacuation of foreigners if necessary.
"We're in a heightened security position," one diplomat in N'Djamena, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters.
A government tank was deployed at the main entrance to the presidential palace and military checkpoints were set up in some areas. "There are a lot of military here ... more than normal," the diplomat said.
Security sources said while the rebel column closest to N'Djamena might not be strong enough by itself to threaten the city, there was a risk of an uprising or mutiny in the Chadian army which has been weakened by desertions since last year.
Deby's government said last month it foiled a plot to assassinate him and arrested 100 officers and soldiers it said were involved.
There was no panic in N'Djamena and traffic was circulating but some residents stayed at home. The mobile phone network was cut off, as had occurred during last month's foiled coup plot.
Rebels of the United Front for Democratic Change (FUC) have carried out attacks in the south, southeast and centre-south of the country in recent days as part of a military campaign to disrupt the presidential election planned for May 3.
DOUBT OVER POLLS
The rebel raids have raised questions over whether Deby's government can hold the polls in which he is standing for re-election.
"It does look difficult," the diplomat said.
Deby's government describes the rebels as "mercenaries in the pay of Sudan" and accuses the Sudanese government of trying to destabilise its western neighbour by backing armed groups operating out of the conflict-torn Sudanese region of Darfur.
Khartoum denies this charge.
Chad's government said on Wednesday its army had regained control of Mongo, a town which rebels said they had attacked and occupied on Tuesday 400 km (250 miles) east of N'Djamena.
But the exact military situation at Mongo and nearby Bitkine remained confused, with one rebel leader saying his fighters still "controlled the zones" around the towns.
"Our objective is to liberate N'Djamena as quickly as possible, before the elections if we can," the FUC rebel leader, Abdoulaye Abdel Karim, told Reuters by satellite telephone. He said he was speaking from Chadian territory.
The assault on Mongo followed a series of rapid strikes in the last three days in which mobile columns of rebels travelling in pick-up trucks attacked government forces in the east, briefly occupying at least one village and a refugee camp.
In May's election, Deby, who won power in a 1990 military revolt from the east, will face four candidates with links to his government and is expected to win. The opposition is boycotting the polls.
United Nations relief agencies and other humanitarian groups are pulling some of their staff back from an eastern area threatened by rebel attacks, U.N. officials say. (Additional reporting by Pascal Fletcher)
Security sources, who asked not to be named, said a French military aircraft on a surveillance flight had spotted a rebel column at Massenya, 160 km (100 miles) southeast of the capital of the landlocked central African oil producer.
The rebels have vowed to try to oust President Idriss Deby before elections next month and their presence at Massenya would be the closest they had come to the capital since they launched a succession of hit-and-run attacks from the east on Sunday.
Although it was not clear that the reported rebel force intended to attack N'Djamena, embassies were activating contingency plans which included the possibility of evacuation.
France has around 1,200 troops in Chad under a military cooperation accord and France's RFI radio said these were on standby to help with an evacuation of foreigners if necessary.
"We're in a heightened security position," one diplomat in N'Djamena, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters.
A government tank was deployed at the main entrance to the presidential palace and military checkpoints were set up in some areas. "There are a lot of military here ... more than normal," the diplomat said.
Security sources said while the rebel column closest to N'Djamena might not be strong enough by itself to threaten the city, there was a risk of an uprising or mutiny in the Chadian army which has been weakened by desertions since last year.
Deby's government said last month it foiled a plot to assassinate him and arrested 100 officers and soldiers it said were involved.
There was no panic in N'Djamena and traffic was circulating but some residents stayed at home. The mobile phone network was cut off, as had occurred during last month's foiled coup plot.
Rebels of the United Front for Democratic Change (FUC) have carried out attacks in the south, southeast and centre-south of the country in recent days as part of a military campaign to disrupt the presidential election planned for May 3.
DOUBT OVER POLLS
The rebel raids have raised questions over whether Deby's government can hold the polls in which he is standing for re-election.
"It does look difficult," the diplomat said.
Deby's government describes the rebels as "mercenaries in the pay of Sudan" and accuses the Sudanese government of trying to destabilise its western neighbour by backing armed groups operating out of the conflict-torn Sudanese region of Darfur.
Khartoum denies this charge.
Chad's government said on Wednesday its army had regained control of Mongo, a town which rebels said they had attacked and occupied on Tuesday 400 km (250 miles) east of N'Djamena.
But the exact military situation at Mongo and nearby Bitkine remained confused, with one rebel leader saying his fighters still "controlled the zones" around the towns.
"Our objective is to liberate N'Djamena as quickly as possible, before the elections if we can," the FUC rebel leader, Abdoulaye Abdel Karim, told Reuters by satellite telephone. He said he was speaking from Chadian territory.
The assault on Mongo followed a series of rapid strikes in the last three days in which mobile columns of rebels travelling in pick-up trucks attacked government forces in the east, briefly occupying at least one village and a refugee camp.
In May's election, Deby, who won power in a 1990 military revolt from the east, will face four candidates with links to his government and is expected to win. The opposition is boycotting the polls.
United Nations relief agencies and other humanitarian groups are pulling some of their staff back from an eastern area threatened by rebel attacks, U.N. officials say. (Additional reporting by Pascal Fletcher)
posted by Marko at 4/12/2006 09:28:00 AM
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