afrol News, 27 November - The war between the government of President Idriss Deby and Chadian rebels have become a regional cause for concern. Intense fighting is said to have ensued between the rebels and military in the eastern part of the country. Both sides are claiming to be gaining upper hand. There are fears the rebels may soon take power in Chad.

But as the rebels advanced towards the capital N'djamena, the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan cautioned that the UN would not accept seizure of power by force. In a statement, the UN chief expressed concern about reports of increasing rebel activities in the province of Ouaddai (Wadai). Mr Annan urges the Chadian protagonists to engage in dialogue, end armed violence in the country and foster national reconciliation.

The UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, visited nearby Darfur last week and warned the UN Security Council of increasing spill-over of violence to Chad. Chad's Ouaddai province is just across the border from Sudan's Darfur and has a comparable ethnic composition.

According to reports, residents of N'djamena have been living in a state of fear since the rebels announced at the weekend that they were poised to take over the Chadian capital. The government deployed troops in key strategic locations in and outside the capital and assured citizens that the city is not under threat.

The rebels claimed to be just 200 kilometres north of the capital. The government, which claimed to have retaken major towns from the rebels, denied this claim.

According to the French news agency, 'AFP', the military situation changed swiftly at the end of the morning. A large number of rebels were said to have headed towards the west of the country, Bata.

UN relief agencies in the main urban centre in eastern Chad, Abéché, were said to be considering evacuating non-essential staff after rebels on Saturday attacked the area. The place serves as a hub to assist refugees and internally displaced Chadians.

"We are considering our options," Marcus Prior, West Africa spokesman for the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), told UN news agency 'IRIN'. "We want to maintain our essential staff in Abéché so we will be doing everything we can to do that. Although, obviously, we want to watch the situation as it evolves and certainly when it is possible, look to relocate our non-essential staff."

Although all UN staff were safe, it is reported that US$ 500,000 worth of food aid belonging to the UN refugee agency have been looted. The rebel attack on Abéché was said to have given chance to civilian to loot and burn government offices and the house of President Deby, who was not there at the time.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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