1.   The country was on the verge of collapse because of the intensification of violent rebel attacks.

2.   Government officials also confirmed that there had been some forewarning of the rebel attack but that the magnitude of it had been unexpected.

3.   Government and allied forces claimed to have stemmed rebel attacks on the border towns by the end of the month.

4.   However, a further rebel attack, in which several people were killed, took place the following day at Tonka in the Tombouctou region.

5.   The government said that a rebel attack on the town of Tchoukou-Hadje had left several dead.

6.   The commission, chaired by Ahmed Humihia of Algeria, which played a mediatory role in the peace negotiations, condemned the recent rebel attacks.

7.   During the rebel attack, Russian troops in Dushanbe officially remained neutral, but retained control of the airport and main railway stations.

8.   And earlier in neighboring Catete, at least four people were killed in a rebel attack.

9.   And international observers, worried about rebel attacks, were heavily guarded.