Chad rebels say on offensive, seek French mediation
(Recasts with government, armed forces, rebel comment)
By Finbarr O'Reilly
GOZ-BEIDA, Chad, June 12 (Reuters) - Rebel forces in Chad said on Thursday they shot down one government helicopter and hit another in a fresh offensive from the east aimed at overthrowing President Idriss Deby.
Chad's army said a helicopter made a crash landing after technical problems during training. The government said "mercenaries in the pay of Sudan", as it brands the rebels, crossed into Chad on Wednesday, but it mentioned no fighting.
However, Irish troops stationed in east Chad as part of an EU protection force (EUFOR) for U.N.-run refugee camps said they had received reports of combat at Modeina near the Sudan border, 70 km (40 miles) northeast of the Irish base at Goz-Beida.
"I can confirm that a Chadian helicopter has been taken down just outside Abeche near the airfield in what appears to be a controlled crash-landing due to damage sustained from ground fire from 23-millimetre anti-aircraft weapons," said Commandant Stephen Morgan, spokesman for the Irish 97th Infantry Battalion.
"There were two aircraft that sustained damage but the second one managed to land," he said.
He said the clash appeared to involve rebel ground forces and government aircraft, but he had no details of casualties.
Abderaman Koulamallah of the rebel National Alliance told Reuters four rebel columns had moved westwards, hoping to topple Deby after a February attack on the capital N'Djamena failed to.
He said rebel forces used anti-aircraft guns mounted on trucks to fire back at two government helicopters that attacked them in the Dar Sila region, shooting one of them down.
"We plan to carry the war to the interior of the country," said Koulamallah, whose Democratic Union for Change (UDC) group belongs to the insurgent alliance.
"READY TO TALK"
National Alliance spokesman Ali Gadaye told Radio France International warplanes belonging to France, which has supported Deby's rule over the landlocked oil producer, had overflown rebel positions in an "intimidating and provocative" way.
France has military aircraft and troops stationed in Chad under a defence cooperation treaty, under which Paris provides intelligence, logistical and medical help to Chad's government.
Gadaye said the second helicopter had been hit, while eight rebel fighters had been wounded in the exchange.
Koulamallah, who said he was speaking from France but was in contact with rebel commanders in Chad, said the rebels were prepared to call off their offensive if France and the European Union forced Deby to agree to round-table talks on Chad's political situation and future.
"If France and the European Union get involved to guarantee an accord, we are ready not to go to war," he said.
Koulamallah said the rebels wanted French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who pledged strong support for Deby after the February rebel assault on the capital, to host a peace conference.
Rebels have fought a guerrilla war for over two years to try to overthrow Deby. They denounce him as dictatorial and corrupt.
Fighting killed several hundred people in February when rebel forces raced across the country and attacked N'Djamena.
The rebels withdrew after the government and military of former colonial power France came out strongly in support of Deby, who himself seized power in an eastern revolt in 1990.
A fresh Chadian rebel offensive against Deby had been widely expected since Sudanese Darfuri insurgents attacked the Sudanese capital Khartoum in May. Both countries accuse each other of supporting rebel groups hostile to each others' governments. (Additional reporting by Pascal Fletcher in Dakar and Moumine Ngarmbassa in N'Djamena; Writing by Pascal Fletcher; Editing by Alistair Thomson and Catherine Evans) (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: africa.reuters.com/)
By Finbarr O'Reilly
GOZ-BEIDA, Chad, June 12 (Reuters) - Rebel forces in Chad said on Thursday they shot down one government helicopter and hit another in a fresh offensive from the east aimed at overthrowing President Idriss Deby.
Chad's army said a helicopter made a crash landing after technical problems during training. The government said "mercenaries in the pay of Sudan", as it brands the rebels, crossed into Chad on Wednesday, but it mentioned no fighting.
However, Irish troops stationed in east Chad as part of an EU protection force (EUFOR) for U.N.-run refugee camps said they had received reports of combat at Modeina near the Sudan border, 70 km (40 miles) northeast of the Irish base at Goz-Beida.
"I can confirm that a Chadian helicopter has been taken down just outside Abeche near the airfield in what appears to be a controlled crash-landing due to damage sustained from ground fire from 23-millimetre anti-aircraft weapons," said Commandant Stephen Morgan, spokesman for the Irish 97th Infantry Battalion.
"There were two aircraft that sustained damage but the second one managed to land," he said.
He said the clash appeared to involve rebel ground forces and government aircraft, but he had no details of casualties.
Abderaman Koulamallah of the rebel National Alliance told Reuters four rebel columns had moved westwards, hoping to topple Deby after a February attack on the capital N'Djamena failed to.
He said rebel forces used anti-aircraft guns mounted on trucks to fire back at two government helicopters that attacked them in the Dar Sila region, shooting one of them down.
"We plan to carry the war to the interior of the country," said Koulamallah, whose Democratic Union for Change (UDC) group belongs to the insurgent alliance.
"READY TO TALK"
National Alliance spokesman Ali Gadaye told Radio France International warplanes belonging to France, which has supported Deby's rule over the landlocked oil producer, had overflown rebel positions in an "intimidating and provocative" way.
France has military aircraft and troops stationed in Chad under a defence cooperation treaty, under which Paris provides intelligence, logistical and medical help to Chad's government.
Gadaye said the second helicopter had been hit, while eight rebel fighters had been wounded in the exchange.
Koulamallah, who said he was speaking from France but was in contact with rebel commanders in Chad, said the rebels were prepared to call off their offensive if France and the European Union forced Deby to agree to round-table talks on Chad's political situation and future.
"If France and the European Union get involved to guarantee an accord, we are ready not to go to war," he said.
Koulamallah said the rebels wanted French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who pledged strong support for Deby after the February rebel assault on the capital, to host a peace conference.
Rebels have fought a guerrilla war for over two years to try to overthrow Deby. They denounce him as dictatorial and corrupt.
Fighting killed several hundred people in February when rebel forces raced across the country and attacked N'Djamena.
The rebels withdrew after the government and military of former colonial power France came out strongly in support of Deby, who himself seized power in an eastern revolt in 1990.
A fresh Chadian rebel offensive against Deby had been widely expected since Sudanese Darfuri insurgents attacked the Sudanese capital Khartoum in May. Both countries accuse each other of supporting rebel groups hostile to each others' governments. (Additional reporting by Pascal Fletcher in Dakar and Moumine Ngarmbassa in N'Djamena; Writing by Pascal Fletcher; Editing by Alistair Thomson and Catherine Evans) (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: africa.reuters.com/)
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