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France warns on Chad 'rebel move' Gunfire 'erupts in key Chad city'
(about 7 hours later)
The French embassy in Chad has issued warnings to its citizens, following reports that rebels gathering in the east are planning a new offensive. Gunfire has been heard in the eastern Chadian city of Abeche, according to residents and aid workers in the area.
Conflict in Sudan's Darfur region has spilled across the border into Chad, which accuses the country of exporting its violence. Khartoum denies this. Correspondents say it appears the city is coming under attack from rebels who were reported to be approaching the city on Friday night.
Aid workers say hundreds of Chadian villagers have been killed in fighting. Telephone networks in Abeche, about 700km (440 miles) east of the capital, N'Djamena, have been cut.
Chad has also announced it will extend a state of emergency introduced across parts of the country by six months. Rebels in eastern Chad have sworn to depose the ruling president, Idriss Deby Itno.
Refugees 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 French embassy said a significant number of rebels planning to overthrow the government of President Idriss Deby were moving west - deeper into the country. 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.
Earlier the French embassy in Chad issued warnings to its citizens, following reports that rebels in the east were planning a new offensive.
Attack 'planned'
The French embassy said a significant number of rebels planning to overthrow President Deby were moving west - deeper into the country.
Officials said a "large column of rebels" had entered the province of Ouaddai.Officials said a "large column of rebels" had entered the province of Ouaddai.
1. Chad says Sudan government-backed militias are attacking villagers in Chad. Some 200,000 Darfur refugees are also in Chad2. Sudan accuses Chad of backing the Darfur rebels3. Chad says it will send troops to help CAR fight the rebels4. CAR says Sudan backs rebels who have seized towns in CAR1. Chad says Sudan government-backed militias are attacking villagers in Chad. Some 200,000 Darfur refugees are also in Chad2. Sudan accuses Chad of backing the Darfur rebels3. Chad says it will send troops to help CAR fight the rebels4. CAR says Sudan backs rebels who have seized towns in CAR
Rebel leaders confirmed that they were advancing in that region.Rebel leaders confirmed that they were advancing in that region.
"For now, we are only doing patrols but we are going to move to attacking in the coming days," a rebel general told the Agence France-Presse news agency. "For now, we are only doing patrols but we are going to move to attacking in the coming days," a rebel general told the AFP news agency on Friday.
The Chadian military says it is monitoring their movements, AFP says. The Chadian military said it was monitoring their movements, AFP reported.
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.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.
PeacekeepersPeacekeepers
Both Chad and Central African Republic, also bordering Sudan, have called for the deployment of international peacekeepers to secure their borders.Both Chad and Central African Republic, also bordering Sudan, have called for the deployment of international peacekeepers to secure their borders.
But Sudan has refused to permit a robust UN peacekeeping force to relieve an over-stretched African Union contingent in Darfur.But Sudan has refused to permit a robust UN peacekeeping force to relieve an over-stretched African Union contingent in Darfur.
In April, Chad rebels reached the capital, N'Djamena, before being repulsed. Sudan denies claims that it backs Chad's rebels, while Chad denies supporting the black African rebels in Darfur.
Sudan denied claims it had backed Chad's rebels, while Chad denied supporting the black African rebels in Darfur.
Eastern Chad and Darfur have a similar ethnic make-up.Eastern Chad and Darfur have a similar ethnic make-up.
Some two million people have been displaced in Darfur and at least 200,000 are estimated to have died in the three-and-a-half year conflict.Some two million people have been displaced in Darfur and at least 200,000 are estimated to have died in the three-and-a-half year conflict.