This is how the Chadian army announced the death of President Idriss Deby Itno on the front lines

President of Chad Idriss Deby Itno died on the battlefield on Tuesday in a fight against the rebels, as the army chief of staff announced in a televised statement, hours after election officials declared the president the winner of the April 11 presidential elections.

“Faithful to his oath to the country, the Marshal of Chad, President of the Republic, Head of State, Supreme Head of the Armies, Idriss Deby Itno, has just breathed his last breath by defending the integrity of the territory on the battlefield .. It is with great regret that we declare to the Chadian people the death of Marshal Idriss Deby Itno on April 20, 2021, as a result of injuries sustained on the battlefield ”, began his speech. Azem Bermandoa Agouna.

“Idriss Deby Itno, has just taken his last breath defending the integrity of the territory on the battlefield”

“He was wounded during the battle and died upon repatriation to N’Djamena. We extend our condolences to the Chadian people, to their biological and political families, as well as to all the peoples of Africa and the world who are united to this great man.. May Allah, the Almighty, welcome him to paradise, ”continued the Chief of Staff.

“If all human beings are destined to die, The death of Chadian Marshal Idriss Deby Itno is deeply significant for Chad and for all of Africa for his commitment to Pan-Africanism and peace. Faced with this worrying situation, the Chadian people must show their attachment to peace, stability and national cohesion, values ​​which are sacred to Marshal Chad ”, he added.

Azem Bermandoa Agouna announced that a transitional military council was launched, led by the general Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of the deceased, for the next 18 months and have dissolves the Constitution, the government and the Parliament.

Authorities also said a 14-day national duel, as well as a curfew 6:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. GMT) to 5:00 a.m. (04:00 GMT) nationwide, and land and air borders have been closed until further notice.

A transitional military council, headed by General Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of the deceased, will govern for the next 18 months.

Deby’s death was announced after the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced the provisional results of the April 11 presidential elections last night, giving him the victory with 79.32% of the vote.

Although the elections went smoothly, the same day The Chadian rebels of the Front for Alternation and Concord in Chad (FACT, in its acronym in French), from Libya, carried out a incursion into national territory with the intention of overthrowing Déby.

April 13, FACT claims to control the province of Tibesti, in the far north of the country and on the 18th, they confirmed having “Liberation” of Kanem province, in the west of the country and on the border with Niger.

For its part, the national army denied the facts and announced that more than 300 rebels had been murdered and more than 150 detained during the fighting in Kanem province.

The constitution, government and parliament were dissolved

Likewise, on Monday evening, FACT announced in a statement that at least 15 senior officers were killed, they were missing or injured and on the run, including Déby.

In this context, the United States Department of State Saturday, ordered non-essential diplomats from his embassy in Chad to leave the African nation due to possible insurgent attacks in the capital N’Djamena.

FACT is a Chadian politico-military group made up of a few 3000 fighters, mainly by young people of the ethnic group gorane (Ditto for former Chadian President Hissène Habré, overthrown by Déby in 1990).

FACT, based in Libya, was created in April 2016 in Tanoua (far north of Chad) during a split of the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD), led by Mahamat Nouri, opposing Déby.

(With information from AP and EFE)

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