Chad arrested on Saturday about 250 rebels who have been making their way into Chad from Libya in a convoy of about 50 vehicles.
Chadian military said the detainees included some top leaders from the Union of Forces of Resistance (UFR), a Libya-based rebel coalition that is trying to topple President Idriss Deby. The army destroyed more than 40 of their vehicles and hundreds of weapons were seized.
Deby said on Thursday that a column of rebels had been “destroyed” in the series of French strikes after trying to cross into the country from Libya.
France, which provides military support to Chad, used its warplanes this week to attack the convoy in the Ennedi region.
Last week, French warplanes carried out several attacks against an armed convoy which crossed into Chad from Libya, after initial strikes failed to halt its advance, the French army said.
Acting in conjunction with Chad’s government, French Mirage jets targeted the convoy again last Tuesday and Wednesday, destroying about 20 of roughly 50 pickup trucks, the armed forces said in a statement.
Libyan National army (LNA) also carried out airstrikes against Chadian fighters in southern Libya.
LNA said in a statement on 8 February that it hit “three groups of Chadians and their allies.”
The “violent and painful” strikes targeted groups near Marzouk area in southern Libya, the LNA added, without giving further details.
LNA on Sunday announced it carried out an air strike against “Chadian opposition” groups in the same area.
