Chad : General Deby Itno arrested by the military
According to multiple reports, General Saley Deby Itno was arrested on Wednesday by the Chadian army, amid gunfire in Ndjamena.
In Ndjamena, defense forces raided General Saley Deby Itno’s residence before capturing him.
General Deby Itno, uncle of the Chadian transitional president Mahamat Idriss Deby, had defected and joined the Socialist Party without Borders (PSF) on February 10th.
His defection did not sit well with the Chadian government, which decided to capture the army general. Saley Deby Itno’s departure from the ruling party, the MPS, is seen as treason.
Negotiations were reportedly held for General Saley Deby to surrender. However, he refused to surrender. Eventually, army personnel sent to his residence stormed in, arresting him and taking him directly to the Presidential Palace, where a group of high-ranking Chadian military officials, currently in control of the government, awaited.
These events come on the heels of the announcement of the presidential election schedule in Chad, with the first round set for May 6, 2024.
