A surprise attack coordinated by three rebel groups in Chad is threatening to further erode stability in a region already being crippled by violence and government unrest.
Despite the attacks on Saturday, president Idriss Deby (pictured left) remains ensconced inside the palace in N'djamena and in control of government troops which used tanks and helicopter gunships as part of sweeping counterattacks on rebel positions on Sunday.
Africa is wracked by internal conflicts at present, the rise in violence in Kenya and now Chad will only delay the deployment of UN troops and has the potential to drag Sudan into the conflict.
The French government, the former colonial power in the region, maintains a force of about 1,200 troops and sent 300 more to bolster their presence; but they are there largely to protect French diplomats and other private citizens. The attack comes a minor setback for a French government seeking to expand and strengthen the role of it's military around the globe.
Africa is just a complete mess right now and nothing is going to change until there is an authoritative body in place equipped, funded, authorized and staffed to deal with regional flare ups of violence.
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