Chadian President Idriss Deby and a rebel leader signed a deal in the Libyan capital of Tripoli late on Sunday to end the ongoing fighting in Chad, according to reports reaching here.

"This is a great day for us. Today we made a step forward on the path toward peace in Chad," Deby said at the signing ceremony with Mahamed Nour, leader of the United Front for Democratic Change.

Nour, whose troops launched a failed attack on the Chadian capital of N'djamena in April, said the deal was a New Year gift for the Chadians, which would bring national reconciliation and peace.

He also called on other rebel groups to sign the peace agreement and join the the Chadian government.

Deby and Nour met at the weekend with Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi working as a mediator, Libya's official Jana news agency reported.

The Chadian government declared a state of emergency in November in the capital N'Djamena and eastern areas following clashes which killed some 400 people.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2006)