UN urges end to Chad fighting, council meets

By Patrick Worsnip

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Sunday for an end to fighting in Chad and the Security Council spent several hours trying to agree on a statement backing the Chadian government against rebels.

"He is profoundly alarmed by the dangerous situation in Chad, particularly in light of heavy fighting in several parts of the capital city of N'Djamena," a spokesman for Ban said.

"He is particularly concerned at the deterioration of the serious humanitarian situation of some 285,000 refugees and 180,000 internally displaced persons."

Several hundred people have been injured in two days of street fighting after a rebel assault, the second to hit the capital of the central African country in almost two years.

Troops loyal to Chadian President Idriss Deby struck back at rebels besieging his palace in N'Djamena on Sunday and the government said it repulsed an attack by Sudanese forces in the east that it called "a declaration of war."

Ban "called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and engage in dialogue so as to prevent further bloodshed," the U.N. spokesman said. The U.N. chief also urged all countries in the region to respect each other's borders.

The Security Council met in an extraordinary Sunday session called by France and the three African members of the council -- South Africa, Burkina Faso and Libya -- and considered a letter from Chad appealing to U.N. members for help.

After 3 1/2 hours of discussions on a proposed statement condemning the rebel attack, the council adjourned debate until Monday because Russia's delegation needed more time to consult Moscow over the text, diplomats said.