class="apple-converted-space"> took power, forcing the sultan to
renounce his throne. At that time, Abéché was the largest city in Chad with
28,000 people, but major epidemics reduced the population to 6000 in 1919. In
1935, the sultanate was restored by orders of the French government, and
Muhammed Ouarada, heir to the throne after his father became king. Once one of
the strongholds of the Arabic slave trade route, the city is known today for
its
markets,
mosques,
church, square (the Place de
l'Indépendance) and for its sultan's
palace.
Abéché has several schools, a hospital, a university and is one of the major
garrisons of the Armee Nationale du TchadANT .
There is a small
airport
(IATA:
AEH, ICAO:
FTTC), Airport ID: AE, operated
sunrise to sunset (SR-SS) with flights to
N'Djaména.
On 25 November 2006, the city was taken by
the Union of Forces for
Democracy, a rebel group that seeks to depose presidentIdrissDéby. Extensive
looting took place during the night. On the same day, nearby Biltine was captured by the Rally of Democratic Forces, another
rebel group. A day later, both
