Thousands of people rallied today in Chad’s capital N’djamena in support of the president following a defeated rebel attack, while the oil minister threatened to shut down the country’s oil pipeline unless the World Bank releases frozen oil revenues.

Chad's president has broken off relations with Sudan and threatened to expel 200,000 refugees from the neighbouring Darfur region after parading more than 250 captured rebels through the streets of the capital following a violent attempt to overthrow him.