C-130s rescue Americans from violence in Chad

[unhappycamper]

C-130s rescue Americans from violence in Chad
By Seamus O’Connor - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 17:10:15 EST

Amid a third day of violence between rebels and government soldiers in Chad’s capital, two Air Force C-130s swooped in Monday to evacuate Americans and some foreign nationals.

Louis Nigro Jr., U.S. ambassador to Chad, requested assistance with the ordered departure of American citizens and officials from the city, according to a press release from U.S. European Command.

The Associated Press reported that 1,000 to 1,500 rebels in gun trucks attacked N’Djamena, the capital city, on Monday. Government-backed soldiers returned fire from tanks and helicopter gunships. The rebels retreated to the city’s fringes Tuesday, signaling readiness for a cease-fire, the AP reported.

The two C-130 came in Monday morning and took more than two dozen Americans and more than three dozen citizens from Egypt, Lebanon, Madagascar, France, Cameroon and Germany to Yaoundé, Cameroon, the release said.

A spokeswoman for EUCOM did not know which unit the C-130s were with, but that they were Air Force planes tasked by Special Operations Command Europe. The only Air Force SpecOps base in Europe is RAF Mildenhall, England. Mildenhall’s SpecOps spokesman, contacted after hours, did not immediately reply to a request for information.


Article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/02/airforce_chad_evacuations_080205w/