Rebel leader vows to take capital by end of year

The Chadian rebel leader, Youssouf Togoimi, of the Mouvement pour la democratie et la justice au Tchad (MDJT) said this week that his forces will be in the capital N’Djamena by the end of the year, according to an interview in the weekly ‘Jeune Afrique’ magazine. The rebel leader, who has held the portfolios of justice, defence and interior in former president Idriss Deby’s government, said that his forces had taken over a number of towns and military outposts in the north of the country and controlled all access to the mountainous Tibetsi region, according to ‘Jeune Afrique.’ He said that his troops were in a position to take the towns of Bardai or Zouar in the north but preferred to wait for the government troops to surrender. However, Chadian Communications Minister Moussa Dago told IRIN on Tuesday that his government was “not worried as Togoimi has made several similar declarations in the past”.