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| France sends extra troops to Chad | France sends extra troops to Chad |
| (20 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 have been sent to protect French nationals, and will join 2,000 troops already stationed there. | The reinforcements have been sent to protect French nationals, and will join 2,000 troops already stationed there. |
| There are unconfirmed reports of fierce fighting just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the capital and the UN is pulling non-essential staff out of the city. | There are unconfirmed reports of fierce fighting just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the capital and the UN is pulling non-essential staff out of the city. |
| A European Union force about to deploy in Chad has delayed its first two troop flights because of the situation. | A European Union force about to deploy in Chad has delayed its first two troop flights because of the situation. |
| "Ongoing instability around N'Djamena has delayed the flights," Dan Harvey, a spokesman for the operation commander, told the BBC News website. | "Ongoing instability around N'Djamena has delayed the flights," Dan Harvey, a spokesman for the operation commander, told the BBC News website. |
| Mr Harvey said that the planes were due to land on Thursday night and Friday morning with more than 100 troops from Austria and Ireland. | Mr Harvey said that the planes were due to land on Thursday night and Friday morning with more than 100 troops from Austria and Ireland. |
| The rebels have made a big mistake. We will teach them a lesson Mahamoud BechirChadian diplomat Living in fear in N'Djamena The 3,700-strong contingent is supposed 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 The 3,700-strong contingent is supposed to protect refugees from Sudan's Darfur region and people displaced by internal fighting. |
| A Chadian journalist has told the BBC that several sources report fighting between the town of Massaguet and the capital 80km (50 miles) away. | |
| Other reports say the fighting is further away. | Other reports say the fighting is further away. |
| The AFP news agency reports that government forces sent to tackle the rebel advance in the east have returned to protect N'Djamena. | The AFP news agency reports that government forces sent to tackle the rebel advance in the east have returned to protect N'Djamena. |
| Rebel sources earlier said a column of 300 vehicles was approaching the capital, after seizing Oum Hadjer, a strategically important town in the central region of Batha, 400km (248 miles). | Rebel sources earlier said a column of 300 vehicles was approaching the capital, after seizing Oum Hadjer, a strategically important town in the central region of Batha, 400km (248 miles). |
| 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. |
| A series of armed attacks on the UN refugee agency and other aid organisations has already 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 already led to the evacuation of staff from the UNHCR office in Guereda in the east. |
| Sudan accused | Sudan accused |
| 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. | 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. | "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. |
| EU force on risky mission "We're not at all threatened and the government is ready to give a lesson to them." | 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| France is believed to have helped thwart the 2006 rebel attack | |
| 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. | 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. | "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. | Sudan has denied backing the Chad rebels and in turn accuses President Deby's government of backing Darfur rebel groups. |
Have you been affected by the issues discussed in this story? Are you in Chad or in France? Please send your comments by using the form below: | Have you been affected by the issues discussed in this story? Are you in Chad or in France? Please send your comments by using the form below: |