Chad says UFDD rebels attack second eastern town - French army plane has been a target of a SolAir missile in E Chad

Reuters report via Sudan Tribune 24 Oct 2006 - excerpt:

A newly formed rebel group has attacked a second town in eastern Chad a day after briefly seizing a settlement near the border with Sudan, the central African country's government said on Tuesday.

Armed men attacked Am Timan on Monday afternoon, 24 hours after taking the town of Goz Beida and then being repelled by government forces, Communication Minister Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor said.

"The security forces are following the movements of these adventurers, whose objective is simply to show their presence on the ground and take advantage of the fact that the towns they have besieged do not have any significant military presence," he said.

The insurgents, calling themselves the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) -- the latest in a string of titles grouping various rebel factions -- have said they want polls to end the rule of President Idriss Deby.

Note this comment received here today at Sudan Watch:

tom has left a new comment on your post "Sudanese army is receiving military support from Chadian rebels based in Sudan, while Darfur rebels are supported by Chad":

I just heard on the French TV, TV5, that a French Army plane ("de reconaissance") has been the target of a SolAir missile in Eastern Chad... The plane would have been able to return to its base undamaged.
That would prove, once again, that France is helping Chadian government in their current fightings with rebels.

http://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2006/10/sudanese-army-is-receiving-military.html

[Ed: Somewhere here in Sudan Watch archives are news reports of French troops formally helping Chad, in official agreement with the Chadian government]

Sep 28 2006 AP report - Chirac: Sudanese government has no choice but to accept UN peacekeepers

Apr 13 2006 Reuters France supports Deby - Chad says rebel attack on capital N'Djamena defeated

Sep 28 2005 IRIN Janjaweed attack E Chad: French troops step up patrols