Nairobi/Khartoum – The Sudanese government has warned that any Chadian forces that cross its border in pursuit of rebel groups will be destroyed, as relations between the neighbouring nations deteriorated further.

The warning came after Chad’s defence ministry on Tuesday said it was planning to enter Sudan to attack rebel groups that recently launch an assault on Chadian soil.

By Wednesday afternoon there was still no sign of any Chadian troops entering Sudan, although Sudanese defence officials warned that any such action would be met with force.

“The Sudanese Ministry of Defence pointed out it will not tolerate any aggression on the Sudanese lands, and warned that the Armed Forces will destroy any force that attempt to attack the Sudanese territories,” Sudan’s state news agency SUNA reported.

Relations have deteriorated in recent weeks despite both nations signing a reconciliation agreement.

Chad two weeks ago accused Sudan of backing an assault by the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR).

The attack was repelled and over 200 rebels killed, but Chad then carried out airstrikes against the retreating rebels on Sudanese soil, which Sudan called an “act of war.”

The neighbours have long accused each other of conducting proxy wars through rebel groups, and only resumed diplomatic ties in November after cutting them in May 2008.

Chadian rebels have been attempting to topple President Idriss Deby for the last few years.

Sudan faces its own rebel movement in the restive Darfur province, and last year accused Chad of backing rebels who launched an unprecedented attack on Khartoum.

Good relations between Chad and Sudan are seen as a crucial to peace to Darfur, where the United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died in six years of conflict. (dpa)