France continued evacuating hundreds of foreigners from Chad on Sunday, as the French military said Chadian rebels struggled to repel an assault in the capital city of Ndjamena.

In the capital, helicopter gunships and tanks also rolled through the streets over the weekend.

In Paris, Ousmane Hissein, a spokesperson for the rebels, claimed that nearly the entire capital was under their control. But so far there was no confirmation to this.

Meanwhile French President Nicolas Sarkozy held a meeting with Cabinet Ministers to discuss Chad in Paris on Sunday.

Herve Morin, French Defence Minister, said France does not want to interfere in a conflict opposing forces that are both Chadian.

These are Chadian elements rebelling against a Chadian authority that we support through a military agreement. It is in fact France's commitment which is respected within the frame of an international agreement.

Chad, a French colony until 1960, has been convulsed by civil wars and invasions since independence. The recent discovery of oil has only increased the intensity of the struggle for power in the country.