CHADIAN GOVERNMENT officials have told Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea during a visit to the country that rebel activity which resulted in fresh clashes in recent days is now under control.
Irish troops patrolling an area in eastern Chad came under fire on Saturday as rebels battled government forces near the town of Goz Beida. The Irish are taking part in an EU mission, known as Eufor, which has a UN mandate to protect civilians in Chad's eastern borderlands.
Mr O'Dea decided to go ahead with a planned three-day visit to Chad despite the unrest. Accompanied by Defence Forces chief of staff Lieut Gen Dermot Earley, Mr O'Dea arrived in the capital N'Djamena yesterday morning.
He met Chad's deputy defence minister and Victor Angelo, head of the UN mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (Minurcat).
He also visited Eufor's offices in the city and had a number of military briefings.
"The deputy defence minister's assessment of the current situation was that rebel activity is under control," Mr O'Dea told The Irish Times in a telephone interview from N'Djamena last night.
"They don't appear to be concerned and said the security situation was under control. But it's something I didn't discuss at any great length with him, quite frankly, because it's really not any of my business except in so far as it impinges on the safety of our troops.
"We have a neutral role here, which is to protect the camps and make sure that NGOs get to the camps to do what they have to do. That's our role and quarrels between different factions are [the Chadian government's] own problem."
In a sign of rising tensions, however, Chadian President Idriss Deby yesterday accused Eufor of "closing its eyes" to the killing of civilians and refugees by advancing anti-government rebels.
In a broadcast to the nation, the Chadian leader said his government had been happy to receive this EU military contingent when it deployed earlier this year.
"But we've been surprised to see that, in its first hostile test, this force has rather co-operated with the invaders, allowing humanitarian workers' vehicles to be stolen and their food and fuel stocks burned and closing its eyes before the systematic massacre of civilians and refugees."
He added: "Yes, we have the right to ask ourselves about the effectiveness of such a force, of the usefulness of its presence in Chad."
Despite the Chadian government's claims of military control, the rebel alliance yesterday said it had captured Biltine, the third town it has seized in three days.
The fresh offensive aimed at ousting Deby has prompted criticism from the UN Security Council. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has also expressed concern.
Asked about the incident in which the Irish patrol came under fire from rebels at the weekend, Mr O'Dea said: "Everyone recognises that this was unfortunate and regrettable but the Irish troops reacted in a very professional way."