Chad Military Claims Victory Over Rebels That Killed Deby

The military in Chad has claimed victory against northern rebels following weeks of fighting.

The conflict against Libya-based rebel group Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) threw the country into a crisis when President Idriss Déby died after being wounded on the frontline last month.

FACT fighters crossed the border from Libya in April to take a stand against Deby, whose 30-year rule they opposed. His subsequent death while visiting troops plunged the country into crisis.

Crowds in the capital N’Djamena cheered on Sunday as soldiers returned from the front line in a column of tanks and armoured vehicles.

The army’s Chief of the General Staff Abakar Abdelkerim Daoud told reporters that the triumphant return of the army to the barracks heralded the end of operations and Chad’s victory.

At an army base, journalists were shown dozens of people said to be captured rebels.

Chad is reputed as having one of the best-trained and best-equipped armies in West Africa, and is one of the Western-backed “G5” countries fighting Islamist militants in the Sahel region.

It is not clear if Fact is still a threat to the military junta now running the country, and a spokesman for the group said it was not aware of an end to the fighting, reports the Reuters news agency.

The military takeover under the leadership of Mr Déby’s son has been condemned by the opposition and civil society groups, leading to protests.

Opposition politicians and civil society have denounced the takeover as a coup and called for supporters to take to the streets. At least five people were killed during a protest on April 27.

A prominent human rights activist, Mahamat Nour Ibedou said opponents had planned a further protest on Sunday, but postponed it out of fear the authorities planned to suppress it violently.

Former colonial ruler France, which has a military presence in Chad and was a long-term backer of Deby, initially signalled its strong support for the council but has since called for a civilian national unity government.