Protest over Chad child scandal

The women were shouting anti-French slogans

Women in the Chadian town of Abeche have been protesting about last week's alleged child-kidnapping attempt.
Sixteen Europeans were arrested in the town while trying to fly more than 100 children they believed were orphans from Sudan's Darfur region to France.

Meanwhile, the Chadian government has said aid agencies will be allowed to continue their humanitarian work for Darfur refugees despite the scandal.

It also said it would not hinder the planned deployment of peacekeepers.

A 3,000-strong European Union force is due in the country in the next few weeks to protect Darfur refugees and people displaced in the conflict that has spilled over the border from Sudan.

Nine French citizens and seven Spanish air crew were charged with child kidnapping and fraud on Tuesday.

If they are found guilty, the group face between five and 20 years in prison with hard labour.

Staff from the UN children's agency Unicef say many of the children, now being kept in an orphanage in Abeche, a town near Chad's border with Darfur, cry at night for their parents and say they are from villages in Chad.