Chad's junta, rebel groups sign pledge in Qatar before talks

Chad's military government and some rebel groups fighting in the country signed a pledge on Monday in Qatar, ahead of planned national reconciliation talks later this month in the African nation.

The main rebel group, however, did not agree to the terms and did not sign the pledge.

Under the terms of the deal in Doha, those who signed have agreed to a cease-fire ahead of the August 20 talks planned in the Chadian capital of N'Djamena.

Chad's junta also agreed to "not take any military or police operations against the signing groups" in neighbouring countries.

However, the Front for Change and Concord in Chad, the main rebel group in the country, did not sign the pledge.

The shadowy group, known by its French acronym FACT, is blamed for the 2021 killing of Chad's longtime President Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled the country since 1990.

In July, Qatar's satellite news network Al Jazeera reported that over 20 rebel groups had withdrawn from the Doha talks.

They had accused the military government of "harassments, intimidation, threats and disinformation" amid the negotiations.