Rebels threaten to storm Chadian capital after killing of Deby

Ahmed Adel

In light of the situation in Chad, especially after the death of President Idriss Deby as a result of wounds sustained during confrontations with rebels, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the capital, N’Djamena, where he is participating in the funeral of the late president, while the rebels announced that their forces would storm the capital after the burial ceremony.

Rebel threats

The rebels, affiliated with the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), announced that their forces would storm the capital after the end of the funeral ceremony for Deby.

FACT issued a statement in which it renewed its refusal to recognize the military council that replaced the Chadian president. It also rejected the constitutional charter that was adopted by the Transitional Military Council, describing it as “illegal”.

The rebels announced that FACT is currently working with all the national forces in Chad to create a transitional body that would lead to setting a schedule and program for a real transitional period.

French concerns

France fears that it will lose an important ally in the war on terror in the Sahel region, and it is likely that, in light of the internal Chadian interactions, the Transitional Military Council led by General Mahamat Idriss Deby, son of the late president, will face difficulty in maintaining its decisive role in regional counterterrorism operations.

It is possible that Chad’s international partners, especially France and the United States, will support the new government in order to achieve a peaceful transfer of power in a way that protects their security interests, assuming that the cessation of military operations against terrorism, even if temporarily, can resume when Mahamat consolidates his control over the reins of power in the country.

A study by the Future Research and Advanced Studies Center emphasized that the stability of Chad is important to the international and regional powers supporting the efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel and West Africa, and there is special importance for France, as the headquarters of the French Operation Barkhane is located in N’Djamena.

Operation Barkhane supports the five Sahel countries, including Chad, on the goal of defeating terrorist groups in the region, and the French mission is also working to support France’s African partners and protect French economic interests.

Need to stabilize situation in Chad

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian expressed his country’s concern for the stability of Chad after the killing of the president, but he does not believe in the withdrawal of Chadian forces involved in neighboring countries for the sake of the security of the Sahel region.

In response to a question about ensuring that the Transitional Military Council maintains the stability and safety of Chad, Le Drian said that the situation worries him, adding that France must be very vigilant about the stability of the situation in Chad.

Regarding a possible withdrawal of Chadian forces, especially from the area known as the “three borders” between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, Le Drian replied that he does not imagine this and does not believe that the military council responsible for the transitional phase will backtrack on these commitments.

Le Drian noted that there are political agreements reached between the five countries in the region to ensure their mutual security, including through the presence of Chadian forces in Niger. He stressed that the mission of the Transitional Military Council in Chad will be to ensure the country’s stability and implement the democratic process, which must take place as quickly as possible.

The Transitional Military Council in Chad consists of 15 generals who are known to be in the circle most loyal to the late head of state.