Rebels Threaten To Restart War In Chad

Chadian Rebels Threaten To Restart Rebellion -- Al Jazeera

Rebel chief Timane Erdimi says his fighters are "tired of waiting" for the government to resume negotiations.

Chadian rebels have threatened to take up arms against President Idriss Deby's government two years after both sides agreed to stop fighting.

Chadian rebel leader Timane Erdimi said on Thursday that after two years of waiting for talks the rebels had no other options, according to the Reuters news agency.

Reuters said Erdimi made the threat by telephone from the Qatari capital Doha.

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Update #1: Chad rebels say to resume fight, Deby's promises unmet -- Reuters
Update #2: Chad rebel group UFR to resume fighting: leader -- Global Post/AFP

My Comment: More instability and conflict in a region that can ill afford it.

Counter-Insurgency, Chad-Style

From the Danger Room:

"An alleged [up]rising led by an Islamic preacher in the oil-rich southern region of Chad was repressed with great loss of life by government forces in the first days of July," Andrew McGregor reported in Terrorism Focus last week. "The incident in the town of Kouno came in response to calls for an international jihad from Ahmat Ismail Bichara, a fiery 28-year-old religious leader, and the destruction of most of the town by his followers."

Funny -- I was in southern Chad at the time, and I didn't hear a peep about this until after the fact. N'Djamena's violent quashing of an embryonic terror and insurgent group, in a total media blackout, demonstrates an ugly brute-force alternative to the West's counter-insurgency strategy, which aims to understand the "human terrain," win hearts and minds, and enlist the support of local tribes before rolling in with tanks and artillery.

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My Comment: This is the rule to counter-insurgency, not the exception.

Chadian Army Force Rebels To Retreat

From The Telegraph:

Along the roadside at Naala, 50 miles north of the Chadian capital, lies the debris of war.

At least a dozen burnt-out vehicles, two of them armoured personnel carriers scarred black by terrible fires, stand a few hundred yards from the road. Scattered around are the boots of the dead.

Along the roadside at Naala, 50 miles north of the Chadian capital, lies the debris of wa
"They burned together, the people and the vehicles"

Nothing flammable survived any of the infernos, and the trucks' floors are littered with ash, melted glass, and the occasional shard of bone.

"They burned together, the people and the vehicles," said Mbatna Psychique, 25, a nurse.

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My Comment: The Sudan backed rebels, with their pick-ups, had the element of surprise and preparedness that surprised everyone when they attacked. But once the Chadian army, with their tanks, became organized and ready to fight, there was no contest.

This is a huge loss for the rebels. While this conflict has taken people's eye away from the plight of refugees in Darfur, it does highlight Sudan's direct involvement in destabilizing this region. If Sudan cannot be made accountable for its actions, more refugees and more attacks against Chadian forces will continue.

Heavy Fighting Resumes In Chad's Capital -- Full Coverage

From Yahoo News:

N'DJAMENA, CHAD - Chadian rebels renewed their assault on the capital of this oil-rich central African country Monday, and tens of thousands of people fled as gunfire crackled and artillery shells exploded across the city.

The third day of fighting in N'Djamena threatened to further destabilize an already violent swath of Africa that is home to hundreds of thousands of refugees and borders Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region.

Hours after the rebels went back on the attack following an overnight retreat, the U.N. Security Council authorized France and other nations to help Chad's government.

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More News Updates From:

France Given Green Light To Intervene In Chad -- Telegraph

UN Backs French Help Against Chad Rebels -- Yahoo News

Support Chad President, Says UN -- BBC News

U.N. Urges Support For Chad's Government -- Reuters

Chad Rebels Forced Out Of N'Djamena -- Telegraph

Thousands Are Reported To Flee Chad's Capital -- International Herald Tribune

Thousands More Flee Deadly Rebel Fighting In Chad -- CNN

Dead In Street As Chad Forces In Three Day Clash With Sudan-Backed Rebels -- Times Online

Chad Rebels Pull Back From Capital -- Guardian

Chad Rebels Threaten New Assault -- Time Magazine

Rebels Fight for Chad's Capital -- Time Magazine

Fighting In Chad Could Affect Darfur -- LA Times

U.N. Condemns Rebel Attacks In Chad -- CBS News

Chad's Future Taliban Enters Capital While The West Is Asleep -- Counter Terrorism Blog

The Crisis In Chad -- Belmont Club

My Comment: Counter Terrorism Blog's analysis on this situation is dead on right. The West is asleep on what is happening in this Central African country. Now the French, with the backing of the U.N., are going to intervene with their military. They, with their vaunted intelligence services, clearly missed out on what has been a growing danger for the past year.