By Finbarr O'Reilly
GOZ-BEIDA, Chad (Reuters) - Rebel forces in Chad said onThursday they shot down a government helicopter in a freshoffensive from the east aimed at overthrowing President IdrissDeby.
But they offered to call off the advance if France and theEuropean Union, which have supported Deby's rule over thelandlocked oil producer, pressed him into holding all-inclusivepeace talks with rebel groups and civilian opponents.
There was no immediate reaction from the Chadian governmentnor any clear independent confirmation of the rebels' statementthat their columns had pushed westwards "deep inside" theeastern Dar Sila region of Chad.
However, Irish troops stationed in east Chad as part of anEU protection force (EUFOR) for U.N.-run refugee camps saidthey had received reports of combat at Modeina near the Sudanborder between rebel ground forces and Chadian governmentaircraft.
A spokesman for the Irish troops said two Chadianhelicopters were hit by ground fire from rebel anti-aircraftguns cannon one crash-landed, while the other landed safely.
Abderaman Koulamallah of the rebel National Alliance toldReuters four rebel columns had moved westwards, hoping totopple Deby after a February attack on the capital N'Djamenafailed to.
"We plan to carry the war to the interior of the country,"said Koulamallah, whose Democratic Union for Change (UDC) groupbelongs to the insurgent alliance.
He said he was speaking by telephone from France, but thathe was in contact with rebel military commanders in Chad.
Koulamallah said the rebels were prepared to call off theiroffensive if France and the European Union forced Deby to agreeto round table talks on Chad's political situation and future.
"If France and the European Union get involved to guaranteean accord, we are ready not to go to war," he said.
The rebels, who Chad's government says are backed by Sudan,have fought a guerrilla war for more than two years to try tooverthrow Deby. They denounce him as dictatorial and corrupt.
Koulamallah said the rebels wanted French President NicolasSarkozy, who pledged strong support for Deby after the Februaryrebel assault on the capital, to host a peace conference.
In Thursday's clash in the Dar Sila region, the rebelforces used anti-aircraft guns mounted on trucks to fire backat two government helicopters that attacked them from the air.One helicopter was shot down, Koulamallah said.
TWO HELICOPTERS "HIT"
Commandant Stephen Morgan, spokesman for the Irish 97thInfantry Battalion based at Goz-Beida in eastern Chad, said thereported clash took place 70 km (40 miles) northeast of theIrish base, so they had no details of casualties.
But he added: "I can confirm that a Chadian helicopter hasbeen taken down just outside Abeche near the airfield in whatappears to be a controlled crash-landing due to damagesustained from ground fire from 23-millimetre anti-aircraftweapons".
"There were two aircraft that sustained damage but thesecond one managed to land," he said.
Fighting killed several hundred people in February whenrebel forces raced across the country and attacked N'Djamena.
The rebels withdrew after the government and military offormer colonial power France came out strongly in support ofDeby, who himself seized power in an eastern revolt in 1990.
A fresh Chadian rebel offensive against Deby had beenwidely expected since Sudanese Darfuri insurgents attacked theSudanese capital Khartoum in May. Both countries accuse eachother of supporting rebel groups hostile to each others'governments.
France has military aircraft and troops stationed in Chadunder a defence cooperation treaty, under which Paris providesintelligence, logistical and medical help to Chad's government.
In their statement, the Chadian rebels urged France not toinvolve itself directly in the conflict but to act as mediator.
(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say onthe top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/)
(Additional reporting by Pascal Fletcher in Dakar; Writingby Pascal Fletcher; editing by Alistair Thomson)
