- Former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre and 11 leaders of eastern rebel group were sentenced to death in capital N'Djamena today, on war crime charges.
Mr Habre has lived in exile in Senegal since incumbent president Idriss Derby overthrew him in 1990.
Victims of his former government had lodged many complaints against him. He was also indicted by Belgium for committing heinous war crimes, including torture. His regime is accused of executing about 40,000 political murders.
On instructions of African Union, Senegal is preparing to try Mr Habre for alleged torture and political killings committed under his rule in Chad between 1982 and 1990.
Earlier in 2006, AU mandated Senegal to prosecute Mr Habré, but local court ruled it lacked jurisdiction to try ex-president on alleged charges.
Among those tried in absentia this week and facing death sentence are Mahamat Nouri, head of rebel group, National Alliance, and Timane Erdimi, head of Rally of Forces for Change (RFC).
The court did not issue any arrest warrant for those sentenced in absentia. President Deby has been fighting a sporadic rebellion based around country's eastern border with Sudan's Darfur region.
Darfur's five-year-old conflict has spilled over frontier, sending hundreds of thousands of refugees, as well as armed rebels, into eastern Chad.
Chadian rebels have twice crossed country to attack N'djamena in west, most recently in February when they were repelled by loyalist forces who allegedly received logistical help from Libyan and French forces.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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