Islamist-backed rebels storm capital

A coalition of Islamist-backed rebels storm capital Ndjamena, Chad, Saturday after fierce fighting nearby

Lydia Polgreen with the New York Times reported Monday, Feb. 3, on Islamist Sudan’s support to rebels bearing fruit: fighters entered the capital, Ndjamena, Chad, Saturday.

Since reports from the scene are conflicting, it is unclear if the attack registered as a raid or a more serious invasion for the capital’s capture.

Mixed reports also came from a nearby battle that began Friday, with government leaders claiming to have routed rebels, and rebel leaders claiming a decisive victory allowing an attack for control of the capital.

Gun battles erupted around the presidential palace, according to Chadian and Western officials, in an attack that raised the specter of deeper chaos in one the most war-scarred and fragile regions of the world.

Forces from a coalition of three rebel groups that have taken shelter in Sudan for the past few years entered the capital, Ndjamena, early Saturday after days of battle dozens of miles outside the city, Chadian officials said.

The suddenness and stealth of their arrival appeared to take the military by surprise.

A spokesman for the three rebel groups, Abdraman Koulamallah, made a statement posted on a rebel Web site, noting they were in the capital and were prepared to negotiate.

He said rebels are, “ready to facilitate, with the guarantee of the African Union, the negotiated departure of President Idriss Déby and avoid a pointless blood bath.”

But Chad’s ambassador in Washington, Mahamoud Adam Bechir, said in a telephone interview that the rebels who had reached the capital were a small group that split from the main column of rebels headed toward the city.

The group had circumvented counterattacks by the Chadian military and stolen into the capital, Mr. Bechir said. He added the group was being chased by Presidential Guard forces.

“They were able to infiltrate the capital, panic the population, fire at the presidency and give the impression there is fighting going on there,” Bechir said. “Everything is under control. President Idriss Déby is in the palace. The Chadian military forces are chasing the insurgents.”

He said the airport was closed to civilian flights and cell phone networks shut down to hamper rebel communications. As a result, his account of the fighting could not be verified.

The timing of the attack appeared to be linked to the planned arrival of a European Union force for the border with Sudan in an effort to protect Darfur refugees and to prevent Chad from sliding into bloodshed, said Reed Brody, a Human Rights Watch lawyer…

As Ndjamena plunged into confusion Saturday and gunfire echoed through the streets, residents hid in their homes waiting for news. U.S., French and UN leaders prepared for an evacuation.

Gabriel Stauring, an American anti-genocide activist, with about 50 people pinned down in a luxury hotel in the capital, reported heavy gunfire. Stauring said via e-mail the rebels exchanged heavy fire with the French military outside the hotel.

“Bullets flew over our heads and parts of the walls and objects around us came raining down on us,” he statement said…

Chad accuses Sudan of sponsoring rebellions against Déby’s government. The attacking groups had bases in Sudan, according to analysts and diplomats – which would not occur without the tacit approval from Khartoum.

M. Brody of Human Rights Watch said many Chadians fear takeover by a shadowy group of rebels with ties to repressive past regimes. “Nobody is going to miss Déby, but these guys aren’t exactly fighting for freedom and democracy,” Brody said. 

Meanwhile: The European Union said Friday it had postponed the deployment of a peacekeeping force to protect Darfur refugees because of an upsurge of rebel activity in neighboring Chad.

The rebels, numbering 1,500 to 2,000 with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, moved toward the Chadian capital in as many as 250 pickup trucks, French Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Thierry Burkhard said Thursday

On Friday: Agence France Press confirmed Chadian government troops clashed with rebel forces near Ndjamena, both sides claiming victory to decide control of the capital.

Chad's military general staff said in a statement the army had engaged a large group of rebels at Massaguet about 50 kilometres (30 miles) northeast of the capital and "entirely destroyed this column after 40 minutes of fighting.”

"The Massaguet battle was very violent. The army did not succeed in pushing forward," a Chadian military source, loyal to President Idriss Deby, told AFP.

Rebel leader Timan Erdimi insisted his side had won the day and vowed the next clash would be in Ndjamena itself.

"We completely smashed them, but Deby was able to escape. Now we are between Massaguet and Ndjamena. We are coming to Ndjamena. I think we will be there tonight (Friday) or tomorrow (Saturday) morning," Erdimi said by satellite phone.

Erdimi joined forces with fellow rebel leaders Mahamat Nouri and Adbelwahid Aboud Makaye in mid-December after a previous peace pact with President Deby fell apart.

An Ndjamena military source said President Deby had been at the front but had regained the capital.

As the fighting continued, the UN evacuated all "non-essential" staff from the Chadian capital to Cameroon. Around 160 non-essential personnel were evacuated for security reasons, said a Geneva-based spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

France meanwhile flew a combat unit of 126 extra troops into Chad to join the 1,100 permanently posted there.

But Air France said all access to Ndjamena airport had been blocked, preventing its scheduled flights from landing.

The capital itself was practically deserted Friday afternoon, with a large military presence on the streets and helicopters flying overhead. The area around the president's office was sealed off and protected by tanks.

In addition: French Defense Ministry leaders confirmed Friday it wanted to send 140 soldiers from Gabon to N'Djamena as a precaution to protect French citizens after renewed fighting between government troops and rebels.

Those support troops did not arrive to the area due to fighting that cut off the airport staging zone.

It is important to note the connection to Sudan, and the aggressive Islamist Muslim regime in Khartoum that follows the teaching for Islamist jihad every inch as staunchly as the Taliban did in Afghanistan before they fell to U.S. and coalition forces six years ago.

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