Rebels in Chad warned France on Wednesday against intervening militarily to support President Idriss Deby Itno's regime, as French Defence Minister Herve Morin made an unannounced visit to Ndjamena. In the aftermath of weekend offensives in the capital, rebel forces have pulled back "to better camouflage themselves" about 70 kilometres (35 miles) from Ndjamena, rebel spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah said.
"We warn France against all direct intervention; otherwise, things could very badly degenerate for it," Koulamallah told AFP by satellite telephone.
"It would risk losing face in Chad and endanger the lives of all its nationals in Africa."
Morin -- claiming that a column of rebel reinforcements was headed towards Ndjamena from the direction of Sudan -- said he was carrying a "message of support" from France to Deby, who he was to see later in the day.
"France will do what it has done before within the limits of international law and the rules that the president of the republic (Nicolas Sarkozy) has given the military for this operation," he told reporters.
Some activity was seen returning to some parts of the capital Wednesday, but most businesses were shuttered, as the Chadian Red Cross picked up more dead bodies from the dusty streets after recovering 27 corpses since the weekend.
General Mahamat Ali Abdallah, commander of government forces, appealed to the estimated 20,000 to 30,000 civilians who fled to neighbouring Cameroon to return, affirming that the government was in full control.
At stake in Chad is control of one of the poorest but most strategically situated countries in central Africa -- one with promising oil reserves and a pourous border with Sudan's remote and troubled Darfur region.
Sudan denies Chadian allegations that it is supporting the insurgency -- an allegation that Chadian Prime Minister Delwa Kassire Coumakoye extended Wednesday to Libya, another neighbouring state.
"It is Kadhafi who is contributing to arming these people," he said, referring to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi. "They are armed by Sudan and supported by Libya."
Sarkozy said Tuesday that France -- with 1,450 troops and Mirage fighter jets stationed in Chad -- was ready to "do its duty" and intervene if need be to shore up Deby's government.
In a declaration Monday seen as a green light for potential intervention, the UN Security Council condemned the rebel attacks and called upon UN member states to support Deby's government if requested by Ndjamena to do so.
The rebels -- who last week crossed the width of Chad from their bases inside Sudan, and Monday threatened a fresh offensive -- responded Tuesday by saying they would agree to a ceasefire.
Deby has yet to speak publicly, but the French ambassador to Chad -- until 1960 a French colony, and still a keystone of French foreign policy in Africa -- said Chad's government controlled Ndjamena and its immediate surroundings.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, the ambassador, Bruno Foucher, said Deby -- in power since 1990 when he led his own insurgency -- had appeared "very confident" when he had spoken to him on Monday night.
In Brussels, the European Union earmarked two million euros (three million dollars) in humanitarian aid, but has suspended deployment of a mainly French EU force to protect Darfur refugees in Chad, together with locally displaced people and those fleeing strife in neighbouring Central African Republic.
"Conditions are still too chaotic to obtain a full assessment of the situation but what is clear is that many people are already suffering," said EU Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel.