Chad Imposes Curfew, Shuts Border After President’s Death

Chad has imposed a curfew and closed down its borders after the death of their longtime president Idriss Deby Itno on Tuesday.

Chad’s army dissolved government and parliament after announcing the death of longtime president Idriss Deby Itno on Tuesday but vowed “free and democratic” elections following an 18-month transition period.

The army had disclosed that Deby’s sons would take over as the head of a military council following the death of the leader who had ruled the country with an iron fist for three decades.

Chad’s newly re-elected President Idriss Deby Itno, in power for three decades, died Tuesday aged 68 of injuries while battling rebels in the north of the Sahel country.

The army had on Monday disclosed that the battle left some 300 rebels of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad dead, while FACT claimed in a statement that Deby had been wounded – a report that official sources could not confirm.