Libyan Planes Attack Towns in Northern Chad

N'DJAMENA, Chad — Libyan fighter jets conducted raids in northern Chad for the third day Tuesday, dropping bombs and napalm on towns hundreds of miles inside Chadian territory, the army high command said.

A military communique read over the radio said that Libyan aircraft bombed three towns, including the oasis of Faya-Largeau, the administrative capital of northern Chad.

They also attacked the outpost of Ounianga Kebir and the former Libyan air base of Ouadi-Doum, the communique said.

Ouadi-Doum, 625 miles northeast of the capital N’Djamena, was Libya’s main military stronghold in Chad until it was retaken by Habre’s forces last March.

Libyan aircraft also resumed their weekend raids on the town of Aozou, captured Saturday by the Chadian army. Radio N’Djamena said about 650 Libyans were killed during Saturday’s battles and a another 147 captured.

Aozou is the administrative capital of a disputed 42,000-square-mile desert territory known as the Aozou Strip. Libya annexed the strip in 1973, while Chadian President Hissen Habre says it has been a part of Chad since it gained independence from France in 1960.