Battle of N'Djamena (2008)

Battle of N'Djamena
Part of Civil war in Chad (2005–2010)
Date February 2–4, 2008 Location N'Djamena, Chad Result Government victory; rebels fail to take N'Djamena
Belligerents
UFDD rebels UFDD-F rebels RFC rebels[1]	Chadian National Army Justice and Equality Movement France (but see below)
Commanders and leaders
Mahamat Nouri Abdelwahid Aboud Mackaye Timane Erdimi	Idriss Déby Itno Daoud Soumain †
Strength
2,000 soldiers[2] 250 technicals[3]	2,000–3,000 soldiers[4] 20 T-55 tanks 3 Mil Mi-24 helicopters[3] many technicals[5]
Casualties and losses
200–300 killed[3] 135 captured[6]	75 killed
Civilian casualties: 160+ killed & 1,000+ wounded (Red Cross)[7] At least 100 killed and 700 wounded (MSF)[8] 400+ killed (President Déby)[9] Total casualties: 540 killed (Uppsala Conflict Data Program)[10] 700 killed, including those killed in Massaguet (President Déby)[11]

The Battle of N'Djamena began on February 2, 2008, when Chadian rebel forces opposed to Chadian President Idriss Déby entered N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, after a three-day advance through the country. The rebels were initially successful, taking a large part of the city and attacking the heavily defended presidential palace. They did not capture the palace, and after two days of fighting they withdrew to outside the city. Around two days later they retreated east.

The assault on the capital was part of a longer military campaign to unseat the Chadian president. The array of rebels fighting against the government shifted during the war: this attack involved approximately 2,000 men from the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development, the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development-Fundamental and the Rally of Democratic Forces. Several non-rebel opposition leaders were arrested by the government.

Hundreds died in the battle, which displaced at least 30,000. French forces evacuated foreigners, but also provided intelligence and ammunition for the Chadian National Army and sporadically exchanged fire with rebels. Soldiers from the Justice and Equality Movement, a Darfur-based ally of the Chadian government, reportedly took part in the battle, but many more fought in the east of Chad, preventing rebel reinforcements from reaching the city.