Chad’s government announced an overnight curfew on Thursday after the security forces opened fire on anti-government demonstrators in the country’s two largest cities, killing at least 50 people, reported The Reuters.
On Thursday, hundreds of people took to the streets to mark the date when the military initially promised to hand over power, a period that has been extended for another two years.
Chad’s Prime Minister, Saleh Kebzabo, gave the death toll at a news conference where he claimed security forces were acting in self-defence.
“What happened today is an armed popular uprising to seize power by force and those responsible for this violence will face justice,” said Kebzabo, who was named prime minister last week after his predecessor resigned.
The prime minister said most fatalities occurred in N’Djamena and the cities of Moundou and Koumra. He said the demonstrators had firearms and so they were considered as rebels.
He also announced the suspension of all public activity of major opposition groups, including the Transformers party and civil society coalition Wakit Tamma. A government spokesperson earlier said 10 police officers were among the dead.
The country has been hit by a political crisis since longtime President Idriss Deby was killed on the battlefield in April 2021 while visiting front-line troops.
Mahamat Idriss Deby, his 38-year-old son, was then installed by the military as Chad’s interim president. He had initially promised not to take part in elections that would follow an 18-month transition to civilian rule. However, as the deadline neared, a nationwide forum arranged by Deby renewed the clock.
On October 1, the forum approved a new 24-month timeframe for holding elections. It also named Deby as Chad’s transitional president and declared that he could be a candidate in the election. Deby was sworn in on October 10 and later appointed a so-called government of national union headed by Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo.
