LOC20:25
17:25 GMT
aggressors
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 1 (KUNA) -- Chad on Friday waned the Security Council
that it intends to use all means at its disposal, including cross-border
incursions into Sudan, to defend the country from the aggression
"orchestrated" by Khartoum, and called on the members to urge Sudan to stop
this "macabre venture."
"The Chadian Government intends to make use of the full range of means at
its disposal, including hot pursuit of the aggressors, to exercise its right
of self-defence against the aggression orchestrated and strongly supported by
the Sudan," Chadian envoy Mahamat Ali Adoum said in a letter to the Security
Council President.
Adoum informed the council of "this grave situation, which has spread to
the centre of the country, and requested the council to take note of it,
because it is a flagrant violation by this neighbouring country of its
commitments and a threat to peace and security in the sub-region."
Quoting from a Government communiqu{ issued earlier this week, Adoum
complained that mercenaries, backed by the Sudanese forces, were emboldened by
their attacks on Moudeina and Adde, felt they could take on Chad's defence and
security forces and continued their adventure with an attack on Oum-Hadjer.
The communiqu{ said the Government calls upon the international community,
in particular the Security Council, to "urge the Sudanese Government to stop
its macabre venture" aimed at destabilizing the democratic institutions
established in Chad and at destabilizing the entire sub-region.
The "aggressors", an allied rebel force hostile to President Idriss Deby,
who swiftly crossed the border from Sudan earlier this week, clashed earlier
in the day with government forces near Ndjamena, the capital.
No Sudanese diplomat was available for comment and council members
predicted the issue will be taken up by the council next week.
In a related matter, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Thursday evacuated
most of its staff from its office in a town in eastern Chad after a series of
armed attacks this week on the agency and other aid organizations operating in
the region.
Five vehicles, belonging to the Agency, its non-governmental partners and
Medecins Sans Fronti}res Suisse, were stolen at gunpoint in the past few days.
(end)
sj.tg
KUNA 012025 Feb 08NNNN