Civil War Starts & Col. Gaddafi Annexes the Aouzou Strip

 
The FROLINAT then launched and intensified guerrilla war; and in only two years, the rebels had gained control of most of Chad. Convinced that the fall of his rule was much imminent, President Tombalbaye asked France to intervene militarily. French troops were despatched to Chad in 1968 and 1969 and remained there until 1972. But, all along, the FROLINAT continued waging its civil war, largely funded by Col. Gaddafi of Libya.
 
In 1971, there was a coup attempt at the country's capital, N'djamena. President Tombalbaye accused Col. Gaddafi of having fomented the coup attempt, and Chad broke off diplomatic relations with Libya. Col. Gaddafi retaliated by officially recognising and equipping the FROLINAT. In 1972, President Tombalbaye unsuccessfully sought reconciliation with Col. Gaddafi. Tombalbaye then propped up his shaky position by appointing several northerners to his cabinet.
 
In 1972, following the death of Ibrahim Abatcha in action, Hissene Habre-the Paris-educated political scientist cum-lawyer, and a first-class guerrilla leader with no formal military training - became the leader of the FROLINAT. His deputy became his fellow Toubou tribesman, Goukouni Oueddei-son of Sultan Oueddei Kedefemi, the then exiled traditional ruler of the Toubou tribe.
 
The following year (1973), Libya annexed the controversial Aouzou strip in northern Chad- a strip rich in manganese and uranium. In annexing the mineral- rich region. Col. Gaddafi said that the region had been Libyan territory all along despite the "unlawful" Franco- Italian treaty of 1935 which gave the strip to France. Hissene Habre refused to sanction the annexation despite the massive aid the FROLINAT was receiving from Libya.

National Movements and New States in Africa