France 'ready for military intervention in Chad'

France is ready to launch a military operation against rebels in Chad if necessary, President Nicolas Sarkozy said today.

“If France must do its duty, it will do so,” Mr Sarkozy said in response to a question on a possible French military operation in Chad. “Let no one doubt it.”

France has more than 1,000 troops already based in Chad, a former French colony in central Africa where rebels and government troops have been clashing in and near the capital for three days.

Mr Sarkozy said French troops have taken no part in the fighting – except last Friday night, when they opened fire to protect French civilians being evacuated.

A French military spokesman, Christophe Prazuck, said two French soldiers were wounded in the fighting. Mr Sarkozy said that was a case of self-defence.