The border between Chad and Libya will remain closed until further notice, Security Minister Mahamat Abba Ali Salah said on Chadian national television.

He announced the decision from Kouri Bougoudi, a town in northwestern Chad, where he was on the move a month after the intrusion of a rebel column from southern Libya.

“The area is frequented by thugs, terrorists, and rebels, and any individual who will be on the site of Kouri Bougoudi will be considered a terrorist,” warned Mahamat Abba Ali Salah.

Kouri Bougoudi is a vast gold site located in a mountainous area on both sides of the Chadian border with Libya. It attracts many Chadians and foreigners.

In late January, Chadian rebels entered Chad via Libya. Strikes by the French army stopped their progress.