CHAD’S president issued a “solemn call” yesterday for a planned European peacekeeping force to quickly deploy to Chad to ease pressure on his forces after days of fighting left hundreds dead in the Central African country.

Chadian President Idriss Deby said today he was “ready to pardon” six French aid workers convicted in December of trying to kidnap 103 children they said were orphans from Darfur.

Chad's president insisted today that his government had total control of the country, even as he said three-quarters of his officials had disappeared during weekend battles with rebels which left hundreds dead and prompted thousands to flee the capital.

The UN Security Council today condemned the rebel attack on Chad and gave a green light for France and other countries to help the government repel the force.

Chad rebels said today they withdrew voluntarily from Chad’s capital overnight, but it was unclear if they succumbed to the force of helicopter gunships and tanks deployed by government forces.

Hundreds of rebels penetrated the capital of Chad today, clashing with government troops and moving on the presidential palace after a three-day advance across the Central African nation, officials and witnesses said. Looting, gunfire and explosions were reported.

Soldiers and rebels have both claimed to have killed several hundred of their opponents in combat yesterday in eastern Chad in what may turn out to be the heaviest fighting since rebels tried to take the capital N’Djamena last year.

Seven Europeans who were among 17 detained in Chad and accused of attempting to kidnap 103 African children were freed and left the country with French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Nine French people charged with kidnapping over their involvement in trying to fly scores of children out of Chad could face trial in their own country.

Authorities in Chad said today they were holding seven crew members of a plane contracted to fly more than 100 children out of the impoverished African country, as President Idriss Deby called an attempt by nine French citizens to take the children away to Europe “shocking” and promised punishment for anyone found to have been involved.

Chadian prime minister Pascal Yoadimnadji died today at a Paris hospital following a brain haemorrhage, the African nation’s ambassador to France said. He was 56.

The government of Niger has ordered the expulsion of 150,000 Arab refugees from Chad and neighbouring countries who have lived there for decades.

CHAD’S president has reversed earlier threats by officials to forcibly return Sudanese refugees to their country’s volatile Darfur region after allegations that Chadian rebels have recruited fighters from the camps, the UN refugee chief said yesterday.

Thousands rallied in Chad’s capital N’Djamena yesterday 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 government is compensated for frozen oil revenues.

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.

Chad broke off diplomatic relations with neighbouring Sudan today, escalating tensions between the two African nations a day after a deadly rebel attack on the capital ended with at least 350 people dead.

Chad’s president Idriss Deby declared victory today following a rebel attack on the capital, assuring Chadians that his government was in control of the country.