The UN Security Council is holding an emergency session on Chad tonight, amid fierce fighting between government forces and rebels in the central African nation.
Chadian rebels said they have withdrawn temporarily from the capital N'Djamena to give civilians time to leave the city before they launch a new offensive.
Chad's government launched tank and air strikes today against rebels who had swarmed the capital N'Djamena yesterday.
Earlier today tank battles in the streets and helicopter air strikes rocked the Chad capital as President Idriss Deby tried to win back lost territory and foreigners fled the country.
The offensive by three rebel commanders has opened up a new conflict next to Sudan's strife torn Darfur region.
The deployment of a planned European peacekeeping mission to Chad, including an Irish contingent, remains suspended indefinitely.
An army spokesman said that the eight members of the defence forces already in Chad are safe and well.
Commandant Gavin Young said the plans to deploy a further 54 troops to Chad remain postponed.
The French army says it has flown 580 foreigners out of N’Djamena, leaving about 320 to be taken out late today and on Monday from an air base next to the main airport.
While the UN said it would evacuate all its personnel and many US embassy staff were taken to the French military base today to be flown out.
China, a major investor in Chad's growing oil industry, organised an airlift for 210 Chinese and two Taiwanese.
Germans, Belgians, Spanish, Portuguese, Egyptian and Armenian nationals were also airlifted out.
No death toll from the fighting has been given but many bodies were left in the streets.
The Medecins sans Frontieres aid group said hundreds of civilians have been wounded, but it was unable to give a death toll.
About 400 people have fled across the western border into Cameroon, according to the UN refugee agency.
French military sources said there were about 2,000 rebel fighters and that Mr Deby has at least 2,000-3,000 troops.
