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Chad kills 43 GSPC
Chadâs army has killed 43 Islamic militants during two days of heavy fighting near the border with Niger, the government said Thursday. The government said in a statement that those killed belonged to the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, a hard-line Algerian Islamic militant group that recently pledged its allegiance to al Qaeda "The government forces have neutralized the threat from the terrorists," the statement said. Washington has vowed to assist Mauritania, Niger and Chad to combat security threats. Chad said among the dead were nine Algerians and nationals from Niger, Nigeria and Mali -- all countries where the United States fears al Qaeda is recruiting militants and setting up cells.This is the first weâve heard of non-Algerian fighting with the GSPC. Looks like Sahraoui has indeed expanded their horizons. Three government soldiers were killed and 18 were wounded, the statement said. The army seized weapons, including mortars and pickup trucks with mounted heavy machine guns, and satellite phones, it said. The army found the group of Islamic militants in Zouarke, 80 miles from Zouar -- a remote desert town in northern Chad near the border with Niger, the statement said. Soldiers captured five prisoners, including a Chadian said by the government to be a member of a the countryâs rebel movement. The main Chadian rebel group is the Movement for Democracy and Justice, otherwise known as MDJT. This is the first Iâve heard them being Islamist or having ties to the GSPC. Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-03-12 |
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