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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 'Hundreds dead' in Chad fighting | 'Hundreds dead' in Chad fighting |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Chad's army says it has killed several hundred rebels in fierce fighting near the eastern border, which shattered a month-long ceasefire. | Chad's army says it has killed several hundred rebels in fierce fighting near the eastern border, which shattered a month-long ceasefire. |
| The claims have not been independently verified but a rebel leader said 17 of his men were dead, along with 100 government soldiers. | The claims have not been independently verified but a rebel leader said 17 of his men were dead, along with 100 government soldiers. |
| The clashes were near the border with Sudan's Darfur region, in an area where 4,000 EU peacekeepers are to be sent. | The clashes were near the border with Sudan's Darfur region, in an area where 4,000 EU peacekeepers are to be sent. |
| The fighting follows months of relative calm and a Libya-brokered ceasefire. | The fighting follows months of relative calm and a Libya-brokered ceasefire. |
| There are now fears that security in the area will deteriorate further, says the BBC's Stephanie Hancock in Chad's capital, Ndjamena. | There are now fears that security in the area will deteriorate further, says the BBC's Stephanie Hancock in Chad's capital, Ndjamena. |
| Heavy gunfire | Heavy gunfire |
| Thomas Merkolbach of the Red Cross told the BBC that about 60 people had been treated at the hospital in Abeche, where he is working. | |
| The combat, which is reported to have been very heavy, took place near the small towns of Forchana and Hadjer Hadid, 70 km (45 miles) east of Abeche. | The combat, which is reported to have been very heavy, took place near the small towns of Forchana and Hadjer Hadid, 70 km (45 miles) east of Abeche. |
| Aid workers based in Forchana reported hearing both machine gun and heavy arms fire for much of Monday morning. | |
| The army attacked a rebel column advancing towards Abeche, a military spokesman said in a statement broadcast on radio and television. | The army attacked a rebel column advancing towards Abeche, a military spokesman said in a statement broadcast on radio and television. |
| "The security and defence forces carried out a total and definitive annihilation of this column," the spokesman said. | "The security and defence forces carried out a total and definitive annihilation of this column," the spokesman said. |
| "The partial [rebel] toll is around 50 vehicles seized, around 40 vehicles destroyed, several hundred dead and several prisoners of war." | "The partial [rebel] toll is around 50 vehicles seized, around 40 vehicles destroyed, several hundred dead and several prisoners of war." |
| No indication of government casualties was given but a leader of the Union Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) rebel group said only 17 rebels had been killed. | No indication of government casualties was given but a leader of the Union Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) rebel group said only 17 rebels had been killed. |
| "We have killed more than 100 from among the army ranks," Abakar Tollimi, the UFDD's secretary general, told the AFP news agency. | "We have killed more than 100 from among the army ranks," Abakar Tollimi, the UFDD's secretary general, told the AFP news agency. |
| The head of the UFDD, Mahamat Nouri, told the BBC the Chadian army initiated the fighting. | The head of the UFDD, Mahamat Nouri, told the BBC the Chadian army initiated the fighting. |
| A French military air base in Abeche has been turned into an emergency hospital to treat wounded Chadian soldiers, Reuters news agency said. | A French military air base in Abeche has been turned into an emergency hospital to treat wounded Chadian soldiers, Reuters news agency said. |
| Volatile border | Volatile border |
| The rebels, who are fighting to overthrow President Idriss Deby, said the government has failed to honour the peace deal and announced at the weekend they would break the ceasefire. | The rebels, who are fighting to overthrow President Idriss Deby, said the government has failed to honour the peace deal and announced at the weekend they would break the ceasefire. |
| The government said the UFDD and another rebel group, the Rally of Forces for Change (RFC), broke the peace accord by crossing into Chad from Sudan. | The government said the UFDD and another rebel group, the Rally of Forces for Change (RFC), broke the peace accord by crossing into Chad from Sudan. |
| Eastern Chad is currently preparing to receive 4,000 EU troops early next year. | Eastern Chad is currently preparing to receive 4,000 EU troops early next year. |
| They will be charged with protecting the volatile border with Sudan's Darfur region. | They will be charged with protecting the volatile border with Sudan's Darfur region. |