Battle of Am Zoer

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Am Zoer
partof=Civil war in Chad (2005–present)


caption=
date=June 18 2008
place=Am Zoer, Chad
result= Chadian tactical victory
combatant1=UFDD rebels
UFDD-F rebels
RFC rebels
combatant2=
commander1=Mahamat Nouri
Aboud Mackaye
Timane Erdimi
commander2=Idriss Déby Itno
strength1=
casualties1=Chadian claims:
160-400+ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hGXCr7VUY5_C4yMSEujqcTZw4lyg AFP: Chadian army claims 'decisive' win over advancing rebels ] ] killed
Rebel claims:
27 killed [http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2008/06/2008619153216476693.html Al Jazeera English - Africa - Chad rebels deny military defeat ] ]
casualties2=3 killedThe Battle of Am Zoer occurred on June 18 2008 when the Chadian army caught up with a rebel column that had been advancing towards the capital, N'Djamena. Sudanese forces were reported to have attacked Chadian positions on the border in previous days and the rebels had been seen passing through several eastern villages. The Chadian army engaged the rebels near the town of Am Zoer, coord|14|13|03|N|21|23|12|E, and according to government claims routed them. Rebel forces rejected those claims.

Rebel offensive

Rebels began their push through Chad on June 11. According to the Chadian government, “Mercenaries in the pay of Sudan entered Chadian territory on 11 June between Ade and Amdjereme” in eastern Chad. On June 13, Two columns of armed fighters were seen moving close to areas where aid operations were ongoing in eastern Chad, aid workers in the area said. The rebel sightings came following several news reports of clashes between rebels and the Chadian army close to Abeche, and reports that a Chadian army helicopter was shot down on June 12. [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=78744]

On June 14, fighting was reported in the town of Goz-Beida. Irish EU peacekeepers stationed there returned fire after coming under attack in the town, which rebels captured briefly. Rebel columns of between 80 and 100 trucks were seen racing towards Goz Beida, according to news agency Reuters. Medical workers reported that at least 24 people were injured in the attack. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7454749.stm BBC NEWS | Africa | Chadian rebels launch town attack ] ]

On June 15, Chadian rebels reportedly captured the town of Am Dam, about 600km east of Ndjamena, the capital, a rebel spokesman said. "We took the town in the middle of the day," Ali Gueddei, a rebel spokesman, said. "The government troops did not offer much resistance." "Our objective is not to take towns but to clear obstacles on the road to Ndjamena," Gueddei said. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A19A930E-BFE4-42EE-A7EF-DB2D89D7B172.htm Al Jazeera English - Africa - Chadian rebels capture town ] ] On June 16, the rebels said that they have taken also the eastern town of Biltine. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7457117.stm BBC NEWS | Africa | Chad's rebels 'seize third town' ] ]

Battle of Am Zoer

Chief of army staff, General Touka Ramadan Kore, told reporters his men had won a "decisive victory" in Am Zoer, north-east of the eastern provincial capital of Abeche, killing more than 160 rebels and halting a week-long insurgent offensive. "The Sudanese mercenaries have either fled or are dead," he said, adding that "scores have been taken prisoner." He said three soldiers had died in the counter-attack and added that the government forces had managed to recover some 40 military vehicles seized by the rebels in an earlier raid.

Ali Gueddei, a spokesman for the rebel National Alliance, said that his group lost just 27 fighters in fighting in Am Zoer.

References