Chad’s Interim President Faces Power Struggle
Voice of America
N'DJAMENA, CHAD - In Chad, factionalism is creating uncertainty over the central African nation’s leadership following this week’s sudden death of longtime President Idriss Deby Itno.
On Wednesday, a transitional military council named Deby’s son — 37-year-old General Mahamat “Kaka” Idriss Deby Itno — as its interim head. The announcement came a day after the army announced his 68-year-old father died from injuries sustained over the weekend while visiting troops on the front lines. They were battling the Front for Change and Concord in Chad, a Libya-based rebel group known by the French acronym FACT that has advanced in recent days toward the capital, N’Djamena. In comments posted on the presidency website Wednesday, the younger Deby said the military council aimed to restore civilian rule and would hold democratic elections in 18 months.
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