February
10, 2007: The 1,200 French troops in Chad, especially the air force detachment,
play a critical role in keeping the current government in power. With dozens of
tribes to deal with president Deby presides over a constantly shifting
coalition. The few hundred French infantry in the capital make sudden takeovers
difficult, while the few French jets fighters operating out of the capital
airport, keep an eye on the Sudanese border, and the Chad rebels based in, and
supplied by, Sudan. What also attracts the raiders (rebels, bandits and many a
little of both) is all the aid shipped in for the nearly 400,000 refugees
camped along the border. All this is more civil disorder than war.
February
1, 2007: Sudan based rebels attacked the border town of Adre, and were repulsed.
Several rebel trucks were destroyed, a dozen civilian bystanders, and some
rebels died as well.
