Peace deal signed to end rebellion

The Chadian government and four of the main rebel groups that had vowed to overthrow the government have signed a peace accord in Libya.

Mahamat Nouri (UFDD), Timane Erdiimi (RFC), Hassane El Djinedi (DNT) and Abdelwahid Aboud (UFDD-F) signed up to the deal in the presence of Chadian President Idriss Deby and President Omar El Bachir of neighbouring Sudan who have each accused each other of backing rebel groups operating in their countries.

The accord calls for an “immediate” ceasefire, the integration of rebel fighters into the national army, and the start of a process to integrate all the parties to the deal into the government.

“This is the last accord that the Chadian government will sign with the armed opposition,” President Deby said.

The deal comes weeks ahead of the expected deployment of UN-mandated European Union peacekeepers in eastern Chad where they are supposed to protect civilians from attacks.

150,000 Chadians have already fled their homes in the region in the last 18 months.

Analysts have said the anti-government rebellion has distracted the national army from protecting the country’s border with Chad and Sudanese-based militias have crossed into Chad where they have attacked villages.

dd/nr