N'Djamena

·         On February 2, 2008 rebels in Chad seized control of large parts of the capital N'Djamena, Chad ambassador to Ethiopia however said the city had not fallen and President Idriss Deby was "fine" in his palace.

·         France, which has 1,500 troops in Chad, began evacuating some foreign nationals.

·         Both the Chadian and Sudanese governments support rebels in each others' territory.

CHAD TIMELINE

·         June 2005 - Constitutional changes approved allowing president to stand for third term

·         April 2006 - Hundreds killed as rebels fight government troops on outskirts of N'Djamena

·         May 2006 - President Deby wins election boycotted by opposition

·         January 2008 - EU approves peacekeeping force to protect Darfur refugees from violence in Chad