N’DJAMENA, Chad (AP) – Chad rebels have threatened to oust the country’s dead president’s son after he was named interim leader of the Central African strategic nation, raising the specter of a violent struggle on Wednesday by power.
It was uncertain how close the rebel column was to N’Djamena, the capital of a million people, or whether the military would remain loyal to Mahamat Idriss Deby after the sudden death of his father after three decades in power.
The rebel group the military blamed for the assassination of President Idriss Deby Itno said Wednesday in a statement they were giving his family until midnight to bury him. The fighters gave no indication of their positions after saying the day before that they were “heading towards N’Djamena at this very moment”.
The group known as the Front for Change and Concord in Chad again condemned Deby’s son to take over the presidency.
“We call on all justice-loving Chadians to join us in this fight against the monarchization of our beloved republic,” the statement said.
The group’s claim to advance towards the capital could not be independently verified, but it immediately created panic in N’Djamena, which another rebel group attacked in 2008 before being repelled by government forces. .
The ruling Transitional Military Council warned that the struggle for control of Chad had not yet ended.
“The security situation remains very serious given the persistence and magnitude of the terrorist threat,” said Council Vice President Djimadoum Tiraina, who added that the military must now “prevent the country from collapsing.” in chaos and anarchy “.
Yet, even when fears arose that the rebels might reach N’Djamena, plans were advanced for a state funeral on Friday for Deby, a key ally of the former French colonizer. French President Emmanuel Macron is among the heads of state expected to attend, French officials confirmed.
The rebels on Wednesday urged state leaders invited to “postpone the invitation for security reasons.”
During the Deby government, France established its regional military base in Chad to combat extremist violence in Africa. Deby also contributed invaluable troops to the UN peacekeeping mission in northern Mali, which sought to stabilize the country after France’s 2013 military intervention to oust Islamic extremists from power in the north.
Human rights groups claim that these contributions helped protect Deby from international criticism as his government became increasingly autocratic.
“For years, international actors have supported the Deby government for its support for counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel and Lake Chad basin and its participation in other regional initiatives, while also turning a blind eye to its legacy of repression and violations of social and economic rights at home, “Human Rights Watch said in a statement Wednesday.
Earlier this month, Deby was elected for a sixth term after running a minimum opposition because several challengers chose to boycott, fearing the vote would be voted on. To frustrate opposition activists a bit, the Internet in Chad was disrupted several times before and during the day of the April 11 vote.
Authorities believe rebels guilty of killing Deby entered Chad that same day from southern Libya.
Deby, a former army commander-in-chief, came to power in 1990 when his rebel forces overthrew then-President Hissene Habre. Over the years, his government survived several armed rebellions until his death this week. An army spokesman said Tuesday that Deby was killed while visiting the front lines of the battle against the last rebel group to challenge his government.
The rebels now targeting the capital are led by Mahamat Mahadi Ali, a Deby opponent who formed the obscure group known by its French acronym, FACT, in 2016, after leaving another rebel group, the Union of Forces. for Democracy and Development.
By the beginning of this month, FACT forces had been established in southern Libya, where they demanded neutrality in the Libyan conflict. However, a recent report by UN experts found that FACT forces in southern Libya guarded the Libyan military bases under the command of Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter.
The circumstances of Deby’s death could not be independently confirmed due to the remote location of the fighting. Some observers initially feared a coup had taken place since the military immediately handed over power to their son for an 18-month transition period instead of following the constitutional protocol.
His son, Mahamat Idriss Deby, 37, is best known as the top commander of Chadian forces helping a United Nations peacekeeping mission in northern Mali. Some in N’Djamena are already questioning whether 18 months in power will be enough for young Deby.
“There is great uncertainty about how events will unfold in Chad: whether the army will remain loyal to Deby’s son and continue the effort to repel the advancing rebels,” said Cameron Hudson, a senior member of the Center. from Africa to the Atlantic Council.
Chadians fed up with 30 years of Deby rule could also align with demands for a change of leadership, he said.
“Either scenario presents a high risk of civilian casualties and the likelihood that fleeing civilians or soldiers could export Chad’s instability to neighboring states,” Hudson said.
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Larson reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writers Sam Magdy in Cairo and Sylvie Corbet in Paris collaborated.