By KUNA
Paris : French military forces continued Sunday a number of evacuation flights from the Chadian capital, Ndjamena, as rebel forces continued to threaten the government of President Idriss Deby and many deaths were reported in the city.
France began evacuations on Saturday, shortly after rebel forces entered the city and attacked Deby’s Presidential palace.
Pitched battles took place as France regrouped its nationals and other foreigners at several points before moving them in convoys to the airport and flying them to Gabon, another country with close ties to France.
By early Sunday, 400 non-combatant foreigners had been moved to Gabon and a number were flown on to Paris Sunday night, the French Foreign Ministry said.
By the end of the day, a total of 700 people had been extricated from Ndjamena on six military transports deployed for the evacuations, official sources in Paris said.
Between 200 and 250 French and other nationals were still grouped at the military base of Kossei, the sources added.
There have been no reliable figures on deaths among foreigners in Ndjamena, but it was confirmed Saturday that two Saudi nationals, the wife and daughter of a diplomat, were killed when the ambassador’s compound was hit by a shell.
About 200 French and foreign nationals from 27 countries were picked up in Gabon’s capital, Libreville, for transfer to Paris in a military Airbus plane, while a larger Boeing 777 has been chartered and is waiting to bring more civilians to Paris early on Monday.
Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has again been in contract with his Chadian counterpart to express support for Chad’s unity and constitutional government.
France continues to condemn the armed revolt that some say is backed by neighbouring Sudan, a claim Khartoum denies.