By SPA
Munich : The European Union is expected to decide within the next few days when to resume the deployment to Chad of a peacekeeping force, which was suspended after an upsurge of rebel violence, ap quoted EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana as saying Sunday.
We have to continue the deployment, Solana told reporters at an international security conference.
Solana said the mission’s commander, Irish Lt. Gen. Pat Nash, could decide as soon as Sunday or Monday to resume the deployment of advance units of the European force, although EU officials said the decision may also come later in the week.
The EU suspended deployment Feb. 1 after a rebel coalition launched an offensive on the Chadian capital, N’djamena.
The rebels were forced out of the capital after two days of heavy fighting that left hundreds dead and more than 1,000 civilians injured.
About 70 EU soldiers were already in the country setting up bases for the mission when the unrest erupted. The European force was due to start operations in March and reach its full strength of 3,700 by May.