This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7221632.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| France sends extra troops to Chad | France sends extra troops to Chad |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| France is flying 150 extra troops to Chad's capital N'Djamena, amid reports of a rebel advance on the city. | France is flying 150 extra troops to Chad's capital N'Djamena, amid reports of a rebel advance on the city. |
| The reinforcements, previously stationed in Gabon, have been sent to protect French nationals, and will join 2,000 troops already stationed there. | The reinforcements, previously stationed in Gabon, have been sent to protect French nationals, and will join 2,000 troops already stationed there. |
| Rebel sources said a column of almost 300 vehicles had taken up positions around the city, but there was no independent confirmation. | Rebel sources said a column of almost 300 vehicles had taken up positions around the city, but there was no independent confirmation. |
| A European Union peace force is due to go to Chad in the next few weeks. | A European Union peace force is due to go to Chad in the next few weeks. |
| The 3,700-strong contingent will aim to protect refugees from Sudan's Darfur region and people displaced by internal fighting. | The 3,700-strong contingent will aim to protect refugees from Sudan's Darfur region and people displaced by internal fighting. |
| The rebels have made a big mistake. We will teach them a lesson Mahamoud BechirChadian diplomat Living in fear in N'Djamena | |
| A spokesman for one of the rebel groups warned of an attack in the near future. | A spokesman for one of the rebel groups warned of an attack in the near future. |
| Security has been stepped up in N'Djamena, where most children have been sent home from school. | Security has been stepped up in N'Djamena, where most children have been sent home from school. |
| The rebels want to drive the president from power. Two years ago they reached the capital before being repelled. | The rebels want to drive the president from power. Two years ago they reached the capital before being repelled. |
| A spokesman for several rebel groups who have joined forces said Oum Hadjer, a strategically important town in the central region of Batha, 400km (248 miles) from N'Djamena, had been captured on Wednesday. | A spokesman for several rebel groups who have joined forces said Oum Hadjer, a strategically important town in the central region of Batha, 400km (248 miles) from N'Djamena, had been captured on Wednesday. |
| A series of armed attacks on the UN refugee agency and other aid organisations has led to the evacuation of staff from the UNHCR office in Guereda in the east. | A series of armed attacks on the UN refugee agency and other aid organisations has led to the evacuation of staff from the UNHCR office in Guereda in the east. |
| Clashes 'soon' | Clashes 'soon' |
| Chad's ambassador to the United States, Mahamoud Bechir, says the rebels are heavily armed and are not far from the capital but denied the government was on the verge of collapse. | |
| "At the end of the day, I think they have committed a suicidal attempt, they have made a big mistake," the diplomat told the BBC's Network Africa programme. | |
| class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7213551.stm">EU force on risky mission "We're not at all threatened and the government is ready to give a lesson to them." | |
| A spokesman for the rebel Union of Forces for Democracy (UFDD), Mahmat Hassan Boulmaye, told the BBC they wanted to overthrow President Idriss Deby's government. | |
| "So far there hasn't been any clash with government forces, but this may happen soon, as the army has been sent to meet our troops. So it may well happen in the near future." | "So far there hasn't been any clash with government forces, but this may happen soon, as the army has been sent to meet our troops. So it may well happen in the near future." |
| France's embassy has closed the French school in the city, French radio reports. | France's embassy has closed the French school in the city, French radio reports. |
| On Tuesday, Chadian aircraft bombed rebel positions in the east near the border with Sudan. | |
| The peacekeeping force - known as Eufor Chad/CAR - to be deployed in Chad and the Central African Republic - was given final approval on Monday and will mainly contain French troops. | The peacekeeping force - known as Eufor Chad/CAR - to be deployed in Chad and the Central African Republic - was given final approval on Monday and will mainly contain French troops. |
| France already has troops in Chad under a 1986 agreement to guarantee "territorial integrity", but rebel groups believe the French helped thwart the attempted N'Djamena attack in 2006. | France already has troops in Chad under a 1986 agreement to guarantee "territorial integrity", but rebel groups believe the French helped thwart the attempted N'Djamena attack in 2006. |
| Rebels maintain the Eufor Chad/CAR will not be neutral. | Rebels maintain the Eufor Chad/CAR will not be neutral. |
| Late last year, the UFDD declared a "state of war" against French and other foreign forces because it said they were "bringing diplomatic, strategic and logistical aid" to the president. | Late last year, the UFDD declared a "state of war" against French and other foreign forces because it said they were "bringing diplomatic, strategic and logistical aid" to the president. |
| Mr Bechir accused Sudan of backing the rebels, saying Khartoum was "nervous" about the deployment of peacekeepers in Chad and more UN and African Union troops in Darfur. | |
| "The are competing with time to stop that," the ambassador said. | |
| Sudan has denied backing the Chad rebels and in turn accuses President Deby's government of backing Darfur rebel groups. |