The European Union has resumed deployment of a peacekeeping force to Chad - an operation that it suspended earlier this month when rebels attacked the capital, N'Djamena.
Officials with the peacekeeping mission say a military transport plane arrived Tuesday in the eastern Chadian city of Abeche. They say more forces will be sent to Abeche and N'Djamena soon.
The EU delayed sending the nearly 4,000 peacekeepers after rebels attacked the Chadian capital February 1, in a failed attempt to overthrow President Idriss Deby. The rebels have since withdrawn to the southeast.
The EU force will try to protect camps with nearly 500,000 people who have fled fighting in Sudan's Darfur region, the Central African Republic, and parts of eastern Chad.
In another development, France is demanding information on Chadian opposition leaders arrested during the recent fighting.
A French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday that France wants details on why the group was arrested, where they are being held, and what judicial procedures they face. She said Paris expects the information "without delay."
France is Chad's former colonial ruler and has more than 1,000 troops permanently stationed in the country. Those troops gave medical, logistical and surveillance support to Chadian government forces during the rebel assault last week. French troops also will make up the bulk of the EU peacekeeping force.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.