EU calls for calm in Chad

The Austrian presidency of the European Union on Thursday condemned a recent attack by armed rebels of a refugee camp in Chad and called on regional leaders to help restore calm.

Photo: EU calls for calm in Chad

In a statement released in Austria, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the 25-nation bloc, the EU urged all states in the area, in particular Chad and Sudan, to "take the necessary steps to restore calm as soon as possible."

Chad and Sudan, who accuse each other of harboring insurgents and rebels, signed a peace agreement in February in which they agreed to deny refuge to each other's rebel groups. The deal, however, has yet to resolve the chaos on the ground.

"The Presidency of the European Union also sharply condemns the recent incursion by armed rebels into the refugee camp Goz Amer close to the Sudanese border," the statement said.

Earlier this week, gunmen attacked a refugee camp housing refugees from Sudan's western Darfur region in southeastern Chad and stole communications equipment from humanitarian workers.

In the statement, the EU also reminded all parties of the importance of ongoing peace talks and said it would "monitor with close interest the possible effects of events in Chad in these negotiations."

Numerous rounds of peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, have been stalled by internal divisions in the rebel movements, reports the AP.

I.L.