![[Chad] A Chadian soldier wanders the streets in the border town of Adre, where security has been stepped up. [January 2006]](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/2006294.jpg.webp?itok=fulAzQDa "Soldat tchadien se promenant dans les rues de la ville frontalière d'Adre")
Government military planes, vehicles and troops were flooding in and out of the military hub Abeche in eastern Chad on Wednesday following fighting with rebels in the region earlier this week.
Government and rebels confirmed fighting took place on Sunday in the remote, mountainous region of Aram Kole, 65km from the town Biltine, and 150 km north of Abeche. Both sides claimed victory.
In an announcement on Tuesday evening, Banyana Kossingar, the army Chief of Staff, said on national radio: “We attacked the mountains at Aram Kolle on Sunday 10 September at 14.00. The combat lasted for three hours.”
“168 rebels were killed, many more wounded, and 28 rebels were taken prisoner. On the government side, six were killed and several wounded. The situation is totally under control now,” Banyana added.
Rebel spokesperson Laona Gong Raoul contacted by IRIN countered that an alliance of rebel groups, the United Front for Democratic Change, had beaten off the Chadian army, killed hundreds of soldiers, and hold their position at Aram Kolle.
Sunday’s fighting is the first major combat between the army and rebel groups that have vowed to overthrow Chadian President Idriss Deby since clashes in mid-April that left over 200 dead. Then, the rebels reached the capital N’djamena before being turned back by the army.
A senior Chadian army officer, who asked not to be named because he was speaking without authorisation, told IRIN on Wednesday that Chad’s military chiefs are planning more attacks in the same area.
Rebel groups have been sighted close to Sunday’s combat zone, said the officer, adding that “Nierguil” and “Am-Zoer” would likely be targeted first, though neither location appears on commercial maps.
Security in eastern Chad is a major concern for the United Nations and aid agencies, which are feeding and housing a quarter million Sudanese who have fled attacks in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan.
The weekend’s fighting took place over 100 kilometres from the closest refugee camps near Guereda, east of Biltine.
However, conditions are already tense as dozens of aid agency vehicles have been stolen in a spate of armed hijackings forcing aid workers working outside Abeche to travel in armed convoys. In May, a worker with the UN children’s agency UNICEF was involved in a near-fatal shooting in Abeche. Over the weekend a UNHCR warehouse in Abeche was looted.
UN officials contacted in Abeche said the reinforcement of the army there is a concern, because members of Chad’s disorderly military are believed to be behind some of the attacks on aid workers.
“There is already a high level of insecurity, especially with regard to crime and theft,” said Matthew Conway, spokesperson for the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR in Abeche. “So far we have not seen major fallout but we are planning for the worst case scenario while hoping for the best.”
Chad recently re-established diplomatic relations with Sudan, which it has accused of hosting the rebels. Sudan has denied it is supporting the rebels, and accused Chad of being sympathetic to groups opposed to its leadership.
As part of a recent agreement, the two sides committed to stop hosting rebel groups.
Diplomats in N’djamena contacted by IRIN said it was too early to tell whether the reappearance of rebel groups in eastern Chad means Sudan has started expelling the groups.
“It would be very artificial to assume that this is happening because Sudan has taken a firm stand and pushed the Chadian rebels out, although that is a possible scenario,” a diplomat said.
mn/nr/ss
Government and rebels confirmed fighting took place on Sunday in the remote, mountainous region of Aram Kole, 65km from the town Biltine, and 150 km north of Abeche. Both sides claimed victory.
In an announcement on Tuesday evening, Banyana Kossingar, the army Chief of Staff, said on national radio: “We attacked the mountains at Aram Kolle on Sunday 10 September at 14.00. The combat lasted for three hours.”
“168 rebels were killed, many more wounded, and 28 rebels were taken prisoner. On the government side, six were killed and several wounded. The situation is totally under control now,” Banyana added.
Rebel spokesperson Laona Gong Raoul contacted by IRIN countered that an alliance of rebel groups, the United Front for Democratic Change, had beaten off the Chadian army, killed hundreds of soldiers, and hold their position at Aram Kolle.
Sunday’s fighting is the first major combat between the army and rebel groups that have vowed to overthrow Chadian President Idriss Deby since clashes in mid-April that left over 200 dead. Then, the rebels reached the capital N’djamena before being turned back by the army.
A senior Chadian army officer, who asked not to be named because he was speaking without authorisation, told IRIN on Wednesday that Chad’s military chiefs are planning more attacks in the same area.
Rebel groups have been sighted close to Sunday’s combat zone, said the officer, adding that “Nierguil” and “Am-Zoer” would likely be targeted first, though neither location appears on commercial maps.
Security in eastern Chad is a major concern for the United Nations and aid agencies, which are feeding and housing a quarter million Sudanese who have fled attacks in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan.
The weekend’s fighting took place over 100 kilometres from the closest refugee camps near Guereda, east of Biltine.
However, conditions are already tense as dozens of aid agency vehicles have been stolen in a spate of armed hijackings forcing aid workers working outside Abeche to travel in armed convoys. In May, a worker with the UN children’s agency UNICEF was involved in a near-fatal shooting in Abeche. Over the weekend a UNHCR warehouse in Abeche was looted.
UN officials contacted in Abeche said the reinforcement of the army there is a concern, because members of Chad’s disorderly military are believed to be behind some of the attacks on aid workers.
“There is already a high level of insecurity, especially with regard to crime and theft,” said Matthew Conway, spokesperson for the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR in Abeche. “So far we have not seen major fallout but we are planning for the worst case scenario while hoping for the best.”
Chad recently re-established diplomatic relations with Sudan, which it has accused of hosting the rebels. Sudan has denied it is supporting the rebels, and accused Chad of being sympathetic to groups opposed to its leadership.
As part of a recent agreement, the two sides committed to stop hosting rebel groups.
Diplomats in N’djamena contacted by IRIN said it was too early to tell whether the reappearance of rebel groups in eastern Chad means Sudan has started expelling the groups.
“It would be very artificial to assume that this is happening because Sudan has taken a firm stand and pushed the Chadian rebels out, although that is a possible scenario,” a diplomat said.
mn/nr/ss
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article
