International
French troops just 100km from rebels’ frontline
NZPA-Reuter N’djamena French paratroopers and Libyan-backed Chadian rebels were just 100 km apart across the Chadian desert yesterday as military commanders maintained a wary stand-off for the fourth day running.
Some of the 700 French troops sent to the aid of President Hissene Habre’s shaky Government are stationed as far north as Arada, a tiny output in the desolate and arid region of north-eastern Chad. Goukouni Oueddei’s rebels are dug in 101 km to the north at Oum Chalouba, which they captured last week for the second time since the conflict blew up two months ago. The paratroopers were sent as non-combatant instructors, but diplomats said that their deployment so far forward appeared to be a warning to the rebels that if they advanced southwards the French troops would fight.
The United States estimates that 2500 Libyan troops are now attached to Goukouni’s forces, although the Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi denies any involvement.
No clashes in either north-east or north Chad have been reported since last Sunday, but military information is scarce in N’djamena. French soldiers in the capital have been told not to speak to the 120 journalists who have descended on the city’s two main hotels.
The lull in the fighting could indicate that the rebels are regrouping their forces and trying to avoid the mistakes that they made last June and early July, when supply lines became over stretched and Government forces launched successful counter-attacks.
But informed sources were not ruling out another explanation — that backstage efforts were underway to end the fighting and bring the antagonists to the negotiating table. On Monday Mr Habre reaffirmed his veto on talks with Goukouni, but disclosed that he had put out peace feelers to Colonel Gadaffi.
The Egyptian Minister of Defence, in an apparent warning to Libya, said that Egypt would offer Sudan direct military assistance if
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19830819.2.73
Bibliographic details
Press, 19 August 1983, Page 6
Word Count
317International French troops just 100km from rebels’ frontline Press, 19 August 1983, Page 6
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in