APA-Ndjamena (Chad) For several weeks, areas within Chad bordering the Central African Republic have been scenes of the massacre of civilians by unidentified armed militia groups.
The districts of Nya Pende and Monts de Lam in the province of Logone Oriental have been targeted for deadly attacks since early May.
Indigenous populations, primarily farmers have not been spared.
Armed with weapons of war and knives, the assailants killed some 30 inhabitants of the villages of Don and Doniate in the Nya-Pende district on May 7 and 8.
On May 17, a village in the sub-prefecture of Larmanaye was attacked.
Ten inhabitants lost their lives. On their way, the attackers carried off oxen, burned and looted stores and
houses.
In a statement issued on May 18, the Chadian government announced a large-scale security operation along the border with the Central African Republic to deal with the insecurity.
According to government spokesman Aziz Mahamat Saleh, Chadian armed gangs are retreating to CAR
territory after committing crimes on Chadian soil.
Initial results of the operation indicate that a dozen of these alleged criminals have been neutralised.
On the same day, May 18, the governor of the province of Logone Oriental, General Ahmat Dari Bazine, paraded in the town of Gore some thirty suspects arrested on Central African Republic territory with the collaboration of CAR administrative and military authorities.
The police had found machetes, weapons of war, shells, and arrows among others in their possession.
One hundred oxen and eight motorcycles were also recovered from the group.
Paraded as the alleged perpetrators of killings in the area, they were since brought to justice.
CA/ac/fss/as/APA