Deby’s assassination to affect security in Chad’s neighboring states

Sara Rashad

Chad’s neighboring countries are assessing the effects the April 20 assassination of the country’s president, Idriss Deby, will have on security conditions inside them.

Deby was killed as he checked troops fighting the Chadian armed opposition.

Observers expect Deby’s assassination to negatively affect conditions in Chad’s neighboring countries.

Egyptian national security

Renowned Egyptian writer Ahmed al-Meslimani expects Deby’s assassination to have repercussions for Egyptian national security.

He said the distance between Egypt’s and Chad’s borders is shorter than the distance between Egyptian capital Cairo and the southern province of Sohag.

“Chad is home to a large number of terrorist organizations whose activities cover a large area in the Sahel and Sahra region,” el-Meslimani wrote on Twitter.

He said the absence of a strongman like Deby is a worrying matter.

More worrying still, he added, is the matter if there are foreign or international hands in Deby’s assassination.

Al-Meslimani did not rule out the possibility of an alliance between extremist Libyan groups and the Chadian opposition with foreign backing with the aim of effecting major changes in the region.

Sudanese researcher Amin Ismail Majdoub also expected Deby’s assassination to affect the security situation in the whole region.

Having stayed 30 years in power, Majdoub said, Deby succeeded in building a huge public relations network both locally and internationally.

Majdboub said Deby used to enjoy support and protection from France.

This, he added, helped him vanquish his enemies and build charisma and power in his country.