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| Momodou |
Posted - 20 Apr 2021 : 13:32:40
Military: Chadian president killed after 30 years in power
By EDOUARD TAKADJI and KRISTA LARSON
Associated Press: 15 minutes ago
https://apnews.com/article/ffd9afdc23e7331ca32765ff693db6d6
N’DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, who ruled the central African nation for more than three decades, was killed Tuesday on the battlefield in a fight against rebels, the country’s top military commander announced on national television and radio.
The stunning announcement came just hours after electoral officials had declared Deby the winner of the April 11 presidential election, paving the way for him to stay in power for six more years.
The circumstances of Deby’s death could not immediately be independently confirmed due to the remote location. It was not known why the president would have visited the area or participated in ongoing clashes with the rebels who opposed his rule.
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| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Momodou |
Posted - 24 Apr 2021 : 04:02:30
Thousands attend funeral of Chad's Deby, Macron pledges French support.
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ahead-debys-funeral-chad-rebels-say-command-hit-by-air-strike-2021-04-23/
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| Momodou |
Posted - 20 Apr 2021 : 21:38:39
Explainer-Chad's strategic interest to France, Western allies
By John Irish, Tangi Salaün
Reuters: APRIL 20, 2021
PARIS (Reuters) - Chad’s longtime ruler President Idriss Deby, a Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in Africa, was killed on the frontline against rebels in the north.
His main ally, France, has about 5,100 troops based across the region as part of international efforts to fight Islamist militants, including its main base in the Chadian capital N’Djamena.
His death, which Paris described as the loss of a courageous friend who had sought peace and stability for three decades, poses questions on the future of France’s regional operations.
WHY IS CHAD AN IMPORTANT ALLY TO WESTERN POWERS?
Nestled in between Libya, Niger, Central African Republic, Sudan, Nigeria and Cameroon, Chad is a strategic outpost for France and the United States in the fight against Islamist militants across the Sahel and Boko Haram in Nigeria as well as for monitoring political instability in neighbouring countries.
Deby has in recent years stepped into a void left by Africa’s traditional heavyweights and turned his desert nation into a powerbroker as France sought to disengage from its former colonies, most notably after a rebellion in Central African Republic in 2013.
Highlighting his importance, in February 2019, French warplanes and drones struck Chadian rebels advancing on the capital to ensure its interests were not put at risk during a critical stage in operations against Islamist militants in the region. Sources said Paris would only intervene directly again if those interests were put in danger.
France provided intelligence and logistical support against a new rebellion launched this month, but stopped short of direct action amid growing unease in French domestic political circles at the prospect of Deby winning re-election for a sixth time, extending his 30 years in power.
HOW EFFECTIVE HAS CHAD BEEN IN FIGHT AGAINST ISLAMISTS?
Chadian troops were in 2020 mostly engaged in fighting insurgents from Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa in the Lake Chad region.
Chad’s armed forces are among the most respected and battle hardened in West Africa. That reputation was forged after 2,000 troops took part in a French-led mission in 2013 to hunt down al Qaeda fighters in the deserts of northern Mali marking Chad out as the only African nation to quickly deploy an effective fighting force.
However, there have been concerns over discipline and accusations of acts against civilians in during their operations.
The deployment of a battalion of 1,500 men to the tri-border theatre between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger earlier this year was seen as a vital to enable French and other forces to re-orient their military mission to central Mali and to target Islamist leaders linked to al Qaeda.
France has bet on local forces eventually taking control of their own security to withdraw its 5,100 troops from the region.
WHAT MILITARY ASSETS DOES FRANCE, ALLIES HAVE IN CHAD?
Chad’s capital N’Djamena is the central command hub for France’s Barkhane counter-terrorism operation for the West Africa region. Just under 1,000 troops are based there along with a few Mirage 2000 fighter jets.
The G5 Sahel, which brings together troops from Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania and Burkina Faso, has its command centre in the previous headquarters of France’s Epervier mission from the 1980s, when Paris supported Chad against a Libyan offensive on the country.
As well as its main operations, France has two forward operating bases in Faya-Largeau in the centre of the country with one eye on the northern border with Libya and Abeche near the borders with Sudan and Central African Republic.
The United States also has had a small military presence in the country to help in training, equipping and capacity building. A U.S. official said there have been less than 70 US military personnel in the country.
WHAT WILL BE THE IMMEDIATE CONCERNS FOR FRANCE/ALLIES?
France and its allies will be looking to see how the political handover happens in the coming days. With Deby technically still president for the next few weeks, the head of the National Assembly should have taken over. However, with the military announcing Deby’s son, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, also know as Kaka, as interim president that could lead to a further destabilisation in the capital.
All eyes will also turn to the rebel Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), which had embarked on the offensive against Deby. If the advance were to gather steam now, that could force Paris’ hands, although it will seek to avoid intervening directly given the general uncertainty and impact it could have on the wider Sahel operations.
With possible panic setting in the capital, there will also be concerns that a new humanitarian and refugee crisis beginning should people start converging from N’Djamena to the Cameroon border
Writing by John Irish; Editing |
| Momodou |
Posted - 20 Apr 2021 : 15:06:58
Chad President Idriss Deby killed on frontline, son to take over
By Mahamat Ramadane
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-chad-deby-idUSKBN2C71CB
N’DJAMENA (Reuters) -Chad’s President Idriss Deby, who ruled his country for more than 30 years and was an important Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in Africa, has been killed on the frontline against rebels in the north.
Deby, 68, came to power in a rebellion in 1990 and was one of Africa’s longest-ruling leaders, surviving numerous coup attempts and rebellions.
His death was announced the day after he was declared the winner of a presidential election that would have given him a sixth term in office. Most of the opposition, which had long complained of his repressive rule, boycotted the vote.
Deby - who often joined soldiers on the battlefront in his military fatigues - visited troops on the frontline on Monday after rebels based across the northern frontier in Libya advanced hundreds of km (miles) south toward the capital N’Djamena. [L1N2MC20E]
“Marshal Idriss Deby Itno, as he did each time that the institutions of the republic were gravely threatened, took control of operations during the heroic combat led against the terrorists from Libya. He was wounded during the fighting and died once repatriated to N’Djamena,” Bermendao said.
The government and National Assembly have been dissolved and a nationwide curfew imposed from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.
“The National Council of Transition reassures the Chadian people that all measures have been taken to guarantee peace, security and the republican order,” Bermendao said.
Deby had pushed through a new constitution in 2018 that would have allowed him to stay in power until 2033 - even as it re-instated term limits.
He took the title of Marshal last year and said before last week’s election: “I know in advance that I will win, as I have done for the last 30 years.”
He was dealing with mounting public discontent over his management of Chad’s oil wealth and crackdowns on opponents. |
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