Chad: ‘More than 250 rebels’ captured in convoy raid

Chad’s military said on Saturday that it had captured more than 250 rebels during an operation against militants crossing from Libya.

A statement said that the large number included “four leaders” who had been detained.

They said 40 of the rebels’ vehicles had been destroyed and hundreds of weapons had been seized.

France, which provides military support to Chad, used warplanes this week to attack the convoy in the Ennedi region.

It announced on Thursday that it had attacked the stream of vehicles several times this week in conjunction with Chad’s armed forces.

The militants had managed to cross hundreds of kilometres into the country before being halted, AFP news agency reports.

Intelligence sources who spoke to Reuters news agency said only 100 militants had been captured.

The incursion is the latest in a series of threats against the rule of President Idriss Déby.

French troops are currently deployed in Chad as part of Operation Barkhane – an ongoing coalition effort in Africa’s Sahel region to fight jihadist insurgents.

France ruled Chad as a colony from 1900 until it gained independence in 1960 and it has supported President Déby before.

Read more on BBC Africa

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