BOTH the UN and Javier Solana, the EU’s foreign policy chief, have defended the actions of Irish troops in Chad when armed groups tried to attack refugee camps and NGO compounds at the weekend.

ZIMBABWE is not the only place in Africa where election results do not mean a change in leadership.

All six French aid workers convicted of a mass kidnapping in Chad have been freed in France, hours after the Chadian president formally pardoned the group, the French Justice Ministry said.

CHAD’S President Idriss Deby yesterday granted an official pardon for six French aid workers jailed in December for abducting children from the landlocked central African country, state radio said.

At least three of six French aid workers convicted in a mass kidnapping case in Chad walked out of prison today, hours after the Chadian president pardoned the group.

Chad’s president declared a nationwide state of emergency, telling his citizens that tightened controls were needed to restore order after recent rebel attacks.

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.

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.

Chad state radio went off the air today as rebels advanced into the capital, opposition leader Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh said.

SIX French humanitarian workers accused in Chad of trying to smuggle 103 African children to Europe will go on trial on December 21 after authorities speeded up the handling of their case, lawyers said last night.

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.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned an attempt by a French group to spirit more than 100 children out of Chad on the grounds that they were orphans from Darfur in danger of being killed.

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.

Chadian Prime Minister Pascal Yoadimnadji died today at a Paris hospital, the African nation’s embassy 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.

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 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.

The United Nations has decided to significantly reduce UN staff in parts of Sudan’s volatile West Darfur region because of increasing insecurity and the growing possibility of a war between Sudan and neighbouring Chad.