Chadian planes bomb rebels in Sudan - UN

07 Jan 2008 19:49:59 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Adds statement from Chadian government in paragraphs 6-8)

By Andrew Heavens

KHARTOUM, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Chadian planes have bombed Chadian rebel positions near the capital of Sudan's Western Darfur state, a U.N. report said of the second reported cross-border incursion in two weeks.

Six Chadian "opposition members" were killed in the attacks on villages in Darfur early Sunday, said the report seen by Reuters on Monday.

Rodolphe Adada, head of the African Union-United Nations force for Darfur, said he was watching growing tensions along the Chad-Sudan border with deep concern and said they could negatively affect the deployment of the long-awaited joint Darfur peacekeeping mission.

In a statement, Adada said he was "concerned that if the situation is not immediately brought under control, great numbers of internally displaced persons and refugees will likely be the first victims of any further escalations."

Relations between Chad and Sudan have been tense in recent years as both try to quell insurgencies close to their long and porous border. They accuse each other of backing rebels trying to overthrow their respective governments.

Chad's government issued a statement saying that Chadian "mercenaries" were integrated into the ranks of the Sudanese army. It said it viewed any attack from Sudanese territory as an attack by the Sudanese army and reserved the right to respond.

"All our air and ground forces are mobilised to guarantee the security of our national territory with the aim of blocking any mercenary presence or bases on either side of the border with Sudan," the statement said.

It made no direct reference to the strikes mentioned in the U.N. report.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONCERN

Sunday's reported strikes came a day after Chadian President Idriss Deby threatened to send his armed forces into Sudan to destroy rebel fighters he accuses Khartoum of supporting.

The U.N. report said the attacks took place on Jan. 6 at approximately 4:30 a.m. on the villages of Goker and Wadi Radi 35 km south of Geneina.

"It has been confirmed that the Chadian air force bombed these two locations killing six Chadian opposition members and injuring four," it said.

It said the injured were being treated in a civilian hospital in el Geneina, capital of Western Darfur state, 1,100 km (680 miles) west of Khartoum.

In New York, the U.N. Security Council expressed "serious concern at the recent upsurge of activities of the illegal armed groups in western Sudan and in eastern Chad, and at the resulting tension between Sudan and Chad."

A statement read to reporters by Libyan Ambassador Giadalla Ettalhi, current council president, said council members "called on Sudan and Chad to exercize restraint and pursue dialogue and cooperation".

The air strikes are likely to enrage Sudan, which has repeatedly denied supporting Chadian rebels and warned Chad not to take military action.

Sudan has accused Chad of bombing parts of Darfur on Dec. 28. But N'Djamena insisted it had targeted rebel units on the border without crossing into Darfur. (Additional reporting by Patrick Worsnip at the United Nations; Editing by Keith Weir)

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