Chad's President Announces Break in Diplomatic Ties With Sudan
14 April 2006
Chad's president says his country is breaking diplomatic ties with Sudan, which he accuses of backing rebels who attacked the capital Thursday.
President Idriss Deby spoke at a rally Friday, one day after gunbattles in N'Djamena that a Chadian official, Territorial Management Minister Mahamat Ali Abdallah Nassour, says left 350 people dead.
Mr. Deby threatened to expel some 200,000 Sudanese refugees living in Chad unless the world takes steps to stop what he calls Sudan's efforts to undermine his government.
Sudan has repeatedly denied backing the rebel group, the United Front for Change, which includes many former members of Chad's military.
The Chadian government Friday paraded captives from Thursday's fighting through a public square in the capital. Officials say 200 people were wounded in the fighting.
On Thursday, President Deby declared victory over the rebels, who launched their assault on the capital after a week of attacks in other parts of Chad.
Clashes were also reported Thursday in the eastern city of Adre, near the border with Sudan.
The United Nations has evacuated all non-essential staff and the personnel of various aid agencies from N'Djamena. Officials of the U.N. World Food Program say the move is not a full-scale evacuation but may impede the agency's operations.
The WFP works with other U.N. agencies to feed the refugees from Sudan's Darfur conflict, who live in camps in eastern Chad.
The rebels occupied the Goz Amer camp earlier this week and have vowed to continue their campaign to remove President Deby.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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