Chad: Military council calls on Niger to capture escaped FACT rebels

Chad's military transitional government said on Sunday it would not negotiate with rebels blamed for killing President Idriss Deby Itno -- raising fears that the group could carry out its threatened attack on N'Djamena.

On Saturday, state TV showed hundreds of prisoners, said to be rebels, arriving at a prison in the capital city.

The Chadian rebels, known by their French acronym FACT, were based in southern Libya and are believed to have crossed back over into Chad earlier this month.

In a televised statement, military spokesman General Azem Bermandoa Agouma said some of the rebels had escaped in the direction of Chad's border with Niger and called for Niger's government to help capture them.

"Chad appeals to Niger's cooperation and solidarity under the various agreements between the two brotherly countries, in order to facilitate the capture and bringing to justice those war criminals responsible for the death of several dozen Chadian soldiers, including the first of them, the Marshal of Chad (President Idriss Deby Itno)."

The general added that given the current situation perceived to endanger Chad and the stability of the entire sub-region, this is not the time for mediation or negotiation with outlaws.