Battle of Am Dam

The Battle of Am Dam occurred on May 7 and 8, 2009, in and around the eastern Chadian town of Am Dam. It involved Chadian Army forces, led by General Toufa Abdoulaye, attacking a column of advancing Union of Forces for the Resistance (UFR) rebels. The fighting began when a Presidential Guard battalion ambushed the rebel column on the outskirts of Am Dam. Both sides utilized Toyota "technicals" equipped with heavy weapons, and anti-aircraft weapons were used against ground targets. During the battle, Am Dam's hospital sustained damage after a government vehicle carrying casualties was targeted by rebels._errant shells destroyed 14 civilian structures nearby. Government forces withdrew after returning fire. Rebel attempts to flank the government force were thwarted when an armored column led by General Hassan al Gadam al-Djineddi and General Tahir Ardah arrived, leading to the retreat of remaining UFR fighters towards Darfur. Official tallies reported 247 combatants killed, with 225 being rebels. Of the 212 captured rebels, 83 were minors. After government control was established, soldiers took medical supplies from the hospital. Civilian volunteers buried the dead, finding 11 rebel corpses, some with fatal head wounds, and one soldier with gouged-out eyes. In nearby Galbassa village, four rebels sheltered in a house with six civilians. Government soldiers supported by a T-55 tank killed the rebels and wounded three civilians, including a 14-year-old boy. The structure was flattened, killing two rebels and a civilian named Youssouf Abakar, who was the father of eight. Additionally, government forces looted Mashangala ...