FACTBOX-EU force faces tough task in conflict-hit Chad

Feb 12 (Reuters) - The European Union resumed the deployment of a peacekeeping force to Chad on Tuesday after suspending it during a rebel assault on the capital.

The EUFOR deployment, which has a mission to protect refugees, civilians and aid workers in conflict-hit eastern Chad, restarted despite warnings from Chadian rebels that they would consider it a hostile force.

Here are some key facts about the EU force:

THE MISSION: The deployment of a European Union peacekeeping force in eastern Chad and northeast Central African Republic was authorised by United Nations Security Council resolution 1778 adopted on Sept. 25, 2007.

Under the U.N. mandate, the EU military force (EUFOR) will have a one-year mission and is authorised to "take all necessary measures" to fulfil its objectives.

This presence will include a one-year United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), whose role will be to train, advise and support Chadian police protecting U.N.-run refugee camps. MINURCAT will also work to promote and protect human rights.



THE FORCE: 3,700 troops from 14 contributing nations, more than half of which will be provided by France, which already has troops and planes stationed in Chad. Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Austria and Romania are the other main contributors. The force is expected to have at least 10 helicopters and a number of transport aircraft.

The EUFOR operation will be commanded from the EU Operations Headquarters in Paris by Irish Lieutenant General Patrick Nash. The commander on the ground, based in Abeche, eastern Chad, will be French Brigadier General Jean-Philippe Ganascia.

A unit comprised of French troops will also serve at Birao in northeast Central African Republic. This area was attacked and briefly occupied in late 2006 by rebels who came from Sudan.

THE CHALLENGES: One of EUFOR's main tasks will be to protect nearly 250,000 Sudanese refugees and nearly 200,000 displaced Chadian civilians in eastern Chad who have fled violence spilling over from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region and who are sheltering in U.N.-run camps in the desolate borderlands.

Many suffered attacks from Sudanese Arab Janjaweed militia marauding over the border or were caught up in clashes between Chadian government troops and rebels or in ethnic violence pitting rival communities against each other.

There are also several hundred foreign aid workers in eastern Chad, some of whom have been the victims of assaults, rapes and repeated car-hijackings.

Chadian rebels fighting to topple President Idriss Deby have said they consider the EUFOR a hostile force because of the predominance of French troops, whom they accuse of helping Deby to beat off this month's rebel attack on N'Djamena.

Some rebel leaders have said they will attack the EU troops if these interfere in their campaign to overthrow Deby.

EU commanders insist EUFOR will remain neutral and will not act against other armed groups unless these threaten refugees, civilians or EU or U.N. personnel. The EU force will not be asked to directly secure Chad's border with Sudan.

Besides the political pitfalls, some analysts question whether it will have the numbers or equipment to effectively cover a vast operations area of 350,000 square kilometres, with underdeveloped infrastructure, in one of the toughest environments in Africa. (Writing by Pascal Fletcher, Editing by Matthew Jones)