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Battle for control of Chad palace Battle for control of Chad palace
(about 1 hour later)
Rebels and government forces both say they are in control of Chad's capital, N'Djamena, after a day of fighting following a rebel assault on the city. Rebels in Chad have seized control of large parts of the capital N'Djamena, and say they have surrounded the presidential palace.
A rebel spokesman said the presidential palace was surrounded and government troops were "refusing to fight".
But Chad's ambassador to Ethiopia said the city had not fallen and President Idriss Deby was "fine" in his palace.But Chad's ambassador to Ethiopia said the city had not fallen and President Idriss Deby was "fine" in his palace.
There are unconfirmed reports from Libya that rebels have agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Colonel Gaddafi.
On Saturday evening, France, which has 1,500 troops in Chad, began evacuating some foreign nationals.On Saturday evening, France, which has 1,500 troops in Chad, began evacuating some foreign nationals.
The French foreign ministry has condemned the rebel attack, blaming "armed forces from outside".The French foreign ministry has condemned the rebel attack, blaming "armed forces from outside".
Both the Chadian and Sudanese governments support rebels in each others' territory.Both the Chadian and Sudanese governments support rebels in each others' territory.
Abderamane Khoulamala, a spokesman for the rebels, told the BBC the rebels had "virtually taken power". href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm', '1201968714', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=488,left=312,top=100'); return false;"> href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm', '1201968714', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=488,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map Abderamane Khoulamala, a spokesman for the rebels, told the BBC the rebels had "virtually taken power" and government troops were "refusing to fight".
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm', '1201968714', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=488,left=312,top=100'); return false;"> href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1201968220/html/1.stm', '1201968714', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=488,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map But a French military spokesman, Col Thierry Burkhard, told AP news agency it appeared that Mr Deby had succeeded in containing the rebels at his palace and was "even in the process of pushing them back". But a French military spokesman, Col Thierry Burkhard, told AP news agency it appeared that Mr Deby had succeeded in containing the rebels at his palace and was "even in the process of pushing them back".
Thousands of rebels pushed into N'Djamena on Saturday morning, after beginning their advance on the city from near Chad's eastern border with Sudan earlier this week . Looting
Windows shaking There was heavy fighting throughout Saturday after thousands of rebels entered N'Djamena in the morning, after beginning their advance on the city from near Chad's eastern border with Sudan earlier this week .
During Saturday, intense gunfire was heard in the city centre. A witness told the BBC that 30 army tanks were burning in the streets. Intense gunfire was heard in the city centre. A witness told the BBC that 30 army tanks were burning in the streets.
It seems a revolution's going on Katie-Jay Scott Eyewitness in Chad
French Defence Ministry spokesman Christophe Pazouk earlier told the BBC the rebel force in the city consisted of several thousand men, and that they had entered the city surprisingly easily.
There were reports of outbreaks of looting, and of residents cheering on the rebel forces in some areas of the city.There were reports of outbreaks of looting, and of residents cheering on the rebel forces in some areas of the city.
CHAD TIMELINE June 2005 - Constitutional changes approved allowing president to stand for third termApril 2006 - Hundreds killed as rebels fight government troops on outskirts of N'DjamenaMay 2006 - President Deby wins election boycotted by oppositionJanuary 2008 - EU approves peacekeeping force to protect Darfur refugees from violence in Chad class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7224008.stm">Profile: Idriss Deby "From the third-floor we can see smoke coming from about a kilometre and a half away near the presidential palace," US aid worker Katie-Jay Scott told the BBC. President Deby sparked anger by changing the constitution
"The gunfire and artillery shakes the windows of the hotel."
A bomb hit the residence of Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Chad, killing the wife and daughter of an embassy employee, the Saudi foreign ministry said.A bomb hit the residence of Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Chad, killing the wife and daughter of an embassy employee, the Saudi foreign ministry said.
The African Union called for an end to the rebels' advance, and said it would expel Chad from the organisation if they took power. But witnesses report that as night fell the fighting subsided, with just sporadic gunfire now being heard.
"The assembly strongly condemns the attacks perpetrated by armed groups against the Chadian government and demands that an immediate end be put to these attacks and resulting bloodshed," the AU said in the final declaration of its summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Gabriel Stauring, a US aid worker trapped inside a hotel in the centre of N'Djamena, told the BBC news website that he and the other guests were spending the night together in the hotel's dining room.
Friction with Sudan He said that some people had already been evacuated, but that he had been advised by the US embassy to remain in the hotel until morning.
He said that there had been a heavy attack on the building earlier in the afternoon, but that it has been relatively quiet since.
Ceasefire claim
The Libyan news agency said that rebel leader Mahamat Nouri had agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
The African Union has charged Libya with overseeing the response to the rebellion in Chad, which was condemned at the end of the organisation's summit in Ethiopia.
CHAD TIMELINE June 2005 - Constitutional changes approved allowing president to stand for third termApril 2006 - Hundreds killed as rebels fight government troops on outskirts of N'DjamenaMay 2006 - President Deby wins election boycotted by oppositionJanuary 2008 - EU approves peacekeeping force to protect Darfur refugees from violence in Chad 'Revolution's going on'Profile: Idriss Deby
The Union's new head, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, warned that if the rebellion succeeded, the country would be suspended from the AU until normality was restored.
The BBC's Stephanie Hancock, recently based in Chad, says insecurity has been the hallmark of Mr Deby's 17-year rule.The BBC's Stephanie Hancock, recently based in Chad, says insecurity has been the hallmark of Mr Deby's 17-year rule.
President Deby sparked anger by changing the constitution In 2005, he changed the constitution so that he could run for a third term in office, which sparked mass desertions from the army.
But the tide began to turn in 2005 when he changed the constitution so that he could run for a third term in office, she says. The situation was made worse by the accumulation of oil wealth by Mr Deby and his entourage.
This prompted mass desertions from the army, and the situation was made worse by the accumulation of oil wealth by Mr Deby and his entourage. Friction with Sudan
There is also tension with Sudan. Chadian officials say Khartoum is nervous about the deployment of EU troops in Chad and a joint AU/UN force in Sudan's western region of Darfur - both with the mandate of protecting civilians affected by fighting in Darfur.There is also tension with Sudan. Chadian officials say Khartoum is nervous about the deployment of EU troops in Chad and a joint AU/UN force in Sudan's western region of Darfur - both with the mandate of protecting civilians affected by fighting in Darfur.
French involvement France dominates the EU force bound for Chad, whose deployment has been delayed because of the fighting.
About 150 French troops have arrived to help evacuate some 1,500 expatriates, the vast majority of whom live in N'Djamena. Some 100 troops Austrian and Irish troops had been due to arrive last Thursday.
THE REBEL COALITION Unified Military Command includes:Union of Forces for Democracy (UFDD) led by Mahamat NouriRally of Forces for Change (RFC) led by Timane ErdimiUFDD-Fundamental led by Abdelwahid Aboud Mackaye 'Living in fear in N'Djamena' AFP said a French army airbus was preparing to fly to Chad to take part in an eventual evacuation. THE REBEL COALITION Unified Military Command includes:Union of Forces for Democracy (UFDD) led by Mahamat NouriRally of Forces for Change (RFC) led by Timane ErdimiUFDD-Fundamental led by Abdelwahid Aboud Mackaye 'Living in fear in N'Djamena' Under a 30-year-old agreement, the French military gives logistical and intelligence support to Chad's government.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy held a meeting to discuss the crisis late on Friday night with senior ministers and military figures.
The BBC's Alasdair Sandford, in Paris, says France is directly involved in the crisis.
It dominates the EU force bound for Chad, whose deployment has been delayed because of the fighting. Some 100 troops Austrian and Irish troops had been due to arrive last Thursday.
Under a 30-year-old agreement, the French military gives logistical and intelligence support to Chad's government.
But late last year, one of the rebel groups, 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.But late last year, one of the rebel groups, 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.
Chad's Foreign Ministers Ahmat Allami has accused Sudan of instigating the rebel advance in order to stop the deployment of the EU force:Chad's Foreign Ministers Ahmat Allami has accused Sudan of instigating the rebel advance in order to stop the deployment of the EU force:
"Sudan does not want this force because it would shine a light on all the genocide that is taking place in Darfur orchestrated from Chadian territory," he told the BBC."Sudan does not want this force because it would shine a light on all the genocide that is taking place in Darfur orchestrated from Chadian territory," he told the BBC.
Are you in Chad? Have you been affected by the fighting? Tell us what is happening where you are by using the form below:Are you in Chad? Have you been affected by the fighting? Tell us what is happening where you are by using the form below:
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