 Military officials, rebels and international aid workers confirmed fighting around the presidential palace. Clashes began early Saturday 20 kilometers outside the capital, before engulfing the city center. Residents in N'Djamena say they heard increasingly intense heavy arms fire. They say rebels occupied the east and south of the capital, and that there was fighting around the airport as well.
| Looks like curtains for Deby. |
An exiled rebel spokesman who has been in contact with rebels on the ground, Makaila Nguebla, says Chad's army has offered little resistance.
He says rebels from several groups who allied themselves for this offensive were able to cross Chad over the course of one week from their bases near Sudan and enter the capital in one day.
| It's Sudan's involvement that concerns me. Nobody gives a squat about Iblis Deby except maybe his Mom. |
The rebels say that if they take over, they will impose transitional rule for two years before organizing free and fair elections. Chad has had several coups since independence from France in 1960.
| I think it's actually been one coup after another up until Iblis. Then -- stagnation. |
The newly-elected head of the African Union, Gabon's Foreign Minister Jean Ping, said he was very worried by the situation. He also said the African Union would not accept an unconstitutional change of government.
| Right. That means the rebels will have to shoot Iblis, rather than just chasing him out of the country. |
President Deby has been in power since 1990.
| Well, shucks. That's only 18 years. |
Several years ago, he changed the constitution to allow unlimited presidential terms.
He went to the scene of fighting Friday, before returning to the capital.
| Ah, yes. The traditional brief visit to the front, followed by a hasty retreat to the capital to... ummm... check on the foreign currency reserves. And pack. |
Military officials who spoke to media did not immediately disclose his location.
| My guess is it will soon be Gay Paree. And the Romanians say they want their flag back. |
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