afrol News, 25 October - The French military reported a missile fire on one of its military aircraft on a reconnaissance mission in eastern Chad. The missile, purportedly fired by the Chadian rebels, missed its target, the French armed forces reported on Tuesday.

The French armed forces spokesman, Christophe Prazuck, said their patrol plane on observation mission in the area had detected a missile being fired. "The plane was not hit, but it was not known who fired the missile," he told local media.

The oil-rich country of Chad has been recently hit by rebels who attacked two towns in eastern Chad. In April, rebels under the banner of Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) penetrated the Chadian city of N'djamena ahead of the elections and caused destruction to several lives and property.

Human rights groups this week asked the government of Idriss Déby to deploy troops in its border with Sudan to avoid further killing of innocent civilians.

Although schools, stores and offices have all open in N'djamena, there is growing tension among citizens, who fear a repeat of the April attack.

According to Chadian press, UFDD has been fragmented into three factions - United Front for Change, Democratic Revolutionary Council and Union of Forces for Democracy - who issued threats to attack the capital by the end of the week.

Unconfirmed reports said the rebels that advanced at the weekend in the south-eastern zones of Chad now are moving toward Mongo, 400 kilometres east of N'djamena.

This development has forced the Chadian government to deploy heavy military presence in its presidential building and other strategic points of the city.

Chadian Foreign Minister, Ahmat Allami, today renewed accusations on Sudan for supporting the rebels that have resumed operations in eastern Chad. UN agencies have reported cross-border actions into Chad by Sudan's feared Janjaweed militias.

Mr Allami said the Sudanese involvement was further evidenced by the firing of a land-air missile against the French army plane in the east. He maintained that the rebels entered through Sudan and could have only have procured this type of military equipment with the help of the Sudanese authorities.

Sudan and Chad have been at loggerheads, accusing each other of supporting rebels to destabilise the other. An African mediation team doused the tension by creating joint forces to patrol the common border and impede the continuing crossings by armed groups of both nations.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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