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Sudan and Chad sign border accord Sudan and Chad strike peace deal
(39 minutes later)
The presidents of Chad and Sudan have signed an accord in Senegal during talks aimed at stopping support for rebels in each other's territory. The presidents of Chad and Sudan have signed an accord in Senegal aimed at halting five years of hostilities between the two countries.
Chad's Idriss Deby and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir signed the non-aggression pact in Dakar in the presence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Chad's Idriss Deby and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir agreed to implement past failed peace pacts at a Dakar summit.
The neighbours have often accused each other of supporting rebel movements trying to overthrow their governments.
Hours before they met, Chad accused Sudan of sending heavily armed columns of Chadian rebels across its border.Hours before they met, Chad accused Sudan of sending heavily armed columns of Chadian rebels across its border.
The Sudanese government dismissed the accusation as "complete nonsense". Thursday's signing ceremony was witnessed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
There has been no independent confirmation of a crossing.
Chadian rebels say they already operate inside the country and EU peacekeepers there said they had detected no incursion.
AccusationsAccusations
The two leaders struck the accord on Thursday on the fringes of an Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit under Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade's mediation. The accord was struck on the fringes of an Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit under Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade's mediation.
Previous agreements during five years of hostilities between the two countries have collapsed. The deal - known as the Dakar agreement - commits the two nations to implementing past accords that have failed.
An announcement on Chadian radio had said "several columns of heavily armed rebels" had crossed the border from Sudan near the town of Ade. It calls for the establishment of a monitoring group of foreign ministers from a handful of African countries that would meet monthly to ensure there have been no violations.
As the neighbouring countries traded accusations earlier, the Chadian rebel National Alliance also denied any cross-border movements from its fighters. The deal said the leaders had agreed to "inhibit all activities of armed groups and prevent the use of our respective territories for the destabilisation of one or the other of our states", reported the Associated Press news agency.
"There is no fresh offensive," AFP news agency quoted him as saying. "Nothing in particular is going on." Sudan earlier dismissed Chad's claims that it had sent Chadian rebels over the border on Wednesday as "complete nonsense".
A rebel attempt to overthrow President Deby's government was thwarted last month. There has been no independent confirmation of any crossing.
Chad has often accused Sudan of supporting Chadian rebels. Chadian rebels say they already operate inside the country and EU peacekeepers there said they had detected no incursion.
The charge has been denied by Khartoum, which in turn accuses Chad of backing rebels in Sudan's Darfur region.
Coup attemptCoup attempt
Earlier, an announcement on Chadian radio said "several columns of heavily armed rebels" had crossed the border from Sudan near the town of Ade.
French troops evacuated expatriates during Chad's recent coup attempt
But the Chadian rebel National Alliance denied any cross-border movements from its fighters.
A rebel attempt to overthrow President Deby's government was thwarted last month.
In recent weeks Chad has taken steps to prevent attacks from rebels, including digging a deep trench around the capital, N'Djamena, and cutting down trees which could provide cover for attackers.In recent weeks Chad has taken steps to prevent attacks from rebels, including digging a deep trench around the capital, N'Djamena, and cutting down trees which could provide cover for attackers.
The government fought off last month's attempted coup in a fierce two-day battle.The government fought off last month's attempted coup in a fierce two-day battle.
Rebel columns in pick-up trucks rode into N'Djamena on 2 February, aiming to overthrow Mr Deby, who took shelter in his palace as street fighting raged.
The attack took place just before the deployment of a European peacekeeping force, to safeguard refugees from Darfur in eastern Chad and the Central African Republic.The attack took place just before the deployment of a European peacekeeping force, to safeguard refugees from Darfur in eastern Chad and the Central African Republic.
A state of emergency was imposed to restore order after the coup attempt.