Congo has requested military assistance from Chad to combat rebels, according to sources

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has requested military assistance from Chad to combat a spiral in its eastern provinces, according to a Chadian official and a source at the President of the Congo.

Chad’s presidency reported on Facebook that Congo’s Minister of Regional Integration met with Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno on Tuesday on behalf of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi.

No information about the conversations was revealed. An official from Chad who was aware of the talks stated that although Chad was thinking about asking Congo for assistance, it had not yet decided whether to accept the offer.

On Wednesday, a Congolese presidential source indicated that Congo has asked Chad for diplomatic and military assistance.

Neither source went into more depth. Due to confidentiality concerns, they chose not to be identified.

Requests for reaction from Chad’s official spokesperson Gassim Cherif on Wednesday were not answered. According to Tina Salama, Tshisekedi’s spokesman, she is unaware of any information regarding the situation.

Chad’s foreign minister told Reuters last week that it was “pure speculation” to send troops to Congo.