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Chad capital hit by new fighting Chad troops battle against rebels
(about 3 hours later)
Fresh fighting has broken out between government and rebel forces in Chad's capital N'Djamena, reports say. Chadian forces have used tanks and helicopter gunships to try to drive back rebels besieging the presidential palace in the capital N'Djamena.
Heavy weapons fire was heard near the palace where President Idriss Deby is said to be holding out. The rebels seized large parts of the city on Saturday.
Rebels seized large parts of the city on Saturday, but military action subsided overnight as both sides claimed to be in control. Humanitarian organisation MSF said its doctors were treating about 50 people injured in the fighting.
More than 500 French and other foreign citizens have been evacuated to the Gabonese capital, Libreville. Correspondents say the crisis is linked to relations between Chad and Sudan and could have major implications for efforts to end the conflict in Darfur.
Enlarge Map Witnesses heard anti-tank and automatic weapons fire coming from the city centre, starting at about 0500 local time (0400 GMT).
The French Defence Minister Herve Morin said President Idriss Deby, who is believed to be inside the palace, still had 2,000 to 3,000 men under his authority, despite rebel claims that government troops were defecting.
More than 500 French and other foreign citizens have been evacuated to the Gabonese capital, Libreville, with another 400 gathered in designated area in N'Djamena, awaiting airlift.
The arriving evacuees appeared "harassed but happy", an AFP news agency journalist in Libreville said.The arriving evacuees appeared "harassed but happy", an AFP news agency journalist in Libreville said.
Enlarge Map
"It's been a hard, exhausting day. We didn't know how things might turn out," one mother told the agency.
Of the 514 evacuated, 217 were French and the rest included Germans, Belgians, Spanish, Portuguese, Armenians and Egyptians.
About 400 others are gathered in designated areas in N'Djamena, guarded by French troops.
Ceasefire
Witnesses heard anti-tank and automatic weapons fire coming from the city centre, starting at about 0500 local time (0400 GMT).
AFP reported that government helicopters had attacked a column of rebels in the south of the city heading towards the main radio station.
French Mirage combat planes have also been overflying the area.
French officials say Paris is neutral in the military conflict but politically backs Mr Deby's government.
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 Q&A: Rebellion in Chad'Revolution's going on'Profile: Idriss Deby
France has also offered to evacuate Mr Deby but he refused to go, French officials told AFP.France has also offered to evacuate Mr Deby but he refused to go, French officials told AFP.
Meanwhile French Defence Minister Herve Morin confirmed that the Chadian army chief of staff, Daoud Soumain, had been killed in combat during the rebel advance on the capital. Eastern assault
The fighting comes despite reports of a ceasefire brokered by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The rebels also launched an attack on the eastern town of Adre near the border with Sudan.
Rebel spokesman Abderamane Khoulamanla confirmed reports that Colonel Gaddafi had called rebel leader Mahamat Nouri to propose a ceasefire. 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/7225023.stm">Q&A: Rebellion in Chad class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7224015.stm">'Revolution's going on' class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7224008.stm">Profile: Idriss Deby Local government and military officials said the assault was backed by Sudanese aircraft, but Sudan denied it was involved in any fighting in Chad.
"Our leader replied that he would agree to that if his two other partners in the rebellion would agree as well," Mr Khoulamanla said. Correspondents say Sudan is known to have supported rebels in Chad in the past - while Chad has backed rebels in the Sudanese province of Darfur.
'Assault planned' Adre is in the area where a French-dominated EU peacekeeping force is due to deploy to protect civilians displaced by the fighting in Darfur.
Another rebel spokesman, Henchi Ordjo, told Reuters news agency that the rebel fighters were simply holding back an assault on the palace to allow the president the chance to leave.
"No ceasefire has been agreed," he said.
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.
There was heavy fighting throughout Saturday after thousands of rebels entered N'Djamena in the morning.
They began their advance on the city from near Chad's eastern border with Sudan earlier this week.
There were reports of outbreaks of looting, and of residents cheering on the rebel forces in some areas of the city.
Troubled rule
The BBC's Stephanie Hancock, recently based in Chad, says insecurity has been the hallmark of Mr Deby's 17-year rule.
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 'In pictures: Fighting in Chad' In 2005, he changed the constitution so that he could run for a third term in office, which sparked mass desertions from the army.
The situation was made worse by the accumulation of oil wealth by Mr Deby and his entourage.
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.
France 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.
Chadian officials have accused the rebels of seeking to stop the deployment of the EU force.Chadian officials have accused the rebels of seeking to stop the deployment of the EU force.
Both the Chadian and Sudanese governments support rebels in each others' territory. The French military said several of its combat planes had been moved out of N'Djamena for safety, although they had earlier been overflying the area.
/> 		class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/3496731.stm">Q&A: Darfur conflict
France has a long-term military presence in Chad, one of its former colonies, giving the government intelligence and logistic support.
Mediation efforts
Sunday's fighting raged despite reports of a ceasefire brokered by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi with Mahamat Nouri, one of the leaders of the three-faction rebel alliance.
"Our leader replied that he would agree to that if his two other partners in the rebellion would agree as well," rebel spokesman Abderamane Khoulamanla said.
But another rebel spokesman, Henchi Ordjo, told Reuters news agency that the rebel fighters were simply holding back an assault on the palace to allow the president the chance to leave.
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 'In pictures: Fighting in Chad' 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.
Troubled rule
Mr Deby seized power in a coup in 1990, but has won three elections since then, although their legitimacy has been challenged.
The BBC's Stephanie Hancock, recently based in Chad, says the tide began to turn against him after his decision in 2005 to change the constitution to allow him to run for a third term in office.
Tensions with Sudan have also been heightened over the conflict in Darfur.
Sudan's government and pro-government Arab militias are accused of war crimes against the region's black African population.
Some 2m people have fled their homes, including an estimated 200,000 who have sought safety in Chad - many living in camps along the border with Sudan.
Aid agencies fear the fighting could disrupt $300m aid operation supporting millions in Chad.
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