Chad late on Friday hit back at Sudanese accusations it had mounted air strikes across the border with ramped-up rhetoric saying Khartoum was "the robber who cries thief".

Government spokesperson Mahamat Hissene told reporters that Chad "is surprised to learn that the regime in Khartoum is protesting against action by the Chadian air force on Sudanese territory.

"It is decidedly the case of the robber who cries thief," he underlined.

Rump of rebels

Hissene said that any clashes between the Chadian army and the remaining rump of rebels lining the African neighbours' shared border would be "simply the consequence of the attack on Chad organised by Sudan, using mercenaries armed, trained, financed and directed by satellite by the Khartoum regime."

Sudan accused Chad earlier on Friday of air strikes on its territory and said its army could respond in a sharp escalation, even though it said they took place in deserted areas and caused no casualties or damage.

"Two Chadian airplanes carried out air strikes on areas 60 kilometres inside Sudan... The Sudanese army is ready to respond but is waiting for instructions from the leadership," foreign ministry spokesperson Ali Sadiq said in a statement.

However, Hissene said that since Sudan "is not ready to give up on its devastating offensives, Chad has the right to destroy the evil — including preventive action against training camps and mercenary bases.

Threats of retaliation

"It won't be Sudan's threats of retaliation that will make Chadian troops fold," he added.

Chad has accused Sudan of supporting rebels seeking to oust President Idriss Deby Itno, while Khartoum has accused Ndjamena of backing ethnic minority rebels in the western Sudanese province of Darfur.

Chadian rebels launched an offensive on Ndjamena from Sudan on May 4.

Over the past week, Western diplomatic and military observers have backed claims by officials in President Idriss Deby Itno's government that the Chadian army repulsed the offensive launched by the rebel Union of Forces for Resistance (UFR).

Peace between perennial enemies Chad and Sudan is regarded as essential to any lasting settlement to the six-year-old conflict in Darfur.

According to the United Nations, some 300 000 people have died in the Darfur conflict. Khartoum puts the death toll at 10 000.

AFP

RSS
Digg
de.li.cious
facebook