Hundreds of Rebels Killed in Chad as Political Turmoil Grips the Country
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The ubiquitous Toyota Hi-Lux truck (technical) used by the army (Wikipedia)
Chad’s army clashed with rebels on Thursday outside the town of Nokou, the army said. Nokou is 12 miles from where President Idriss Deby was killed, while visiting troops on the frontline, 10 days ago.
The army has been battling the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) in the Kanem desert region along the border with Niger since mid-April. FACT draws mostly from the Goran ethnic group.
During the most recent fighting, the army claimed to have wiped out “several hundred” rebels.
CLASHES intensified between government forces and armed rebels in western Chad today as hundreds of the military junta’s opponents, detained during protests, were quizzed by prosecutors.
Some 700 people were arrested after taking part in banned protests on Tuesday and Wednesday, in which at least six were shot dead by soldiers.
Dozens were brought to Chad’s highest court, in the capital N’Djamena on Thursday from a number of cities across the country.
“A majority of them have already been through and many have been released,” state prosecutor Youssouf Tom said.
The country has been thrown into turmoil since the death of president Idriss Deby earlier this month. He is reported to have succumbed to injuries sustained on the battlefield, though the circumstances remain unclear.
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Written by Reuters -
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Tires burn at a barricade during protests demanding a return to civilian rule in N Djamena, Chad, 27 April 2021 - Reuters
Chad’s army battled with rebels on Thursday near the town of Nokou, about 20 km from where former president Idriss Deby was fatally wounded ten days ago, rebels and the army said.
Deby was killed on April 19 as he visited troops fighting Libya-based rebels from the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), which opposed his 30-year rule. A military council headed by his son took control of Chad after his death, a move which opposition politicians have condemned as a coup.