France Sets Up Agency For Chadian Military, Rebels Ready For Dialogue

Illustration of joint armies of France and countries in Africa. (africanarguments.org/Chief Warrant Officer 3 Martin S. Bonner)

JAKARTA - Rebels in northern Chad are ready to call a ceasefire and discuss a political settlement following President Idriss Deby's death on the battlefield last week, a rebel spokesman said.

The rebels, known as the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), crossed the northern border from Libya on April 11 calling for an end to Deby's 30-year rule. They advanced 200 kilometers to 300 km from the capital, N'Djamena, before being pushed back by the army.

President Idriss Deby was killed on Monday 19 April, while visiting troops on the front lines, right after he won the election. His death shocked the central African region, which has long been a Western ally against extremist militants.

The air force has since bombarded rebel positions, the military and rebels said. The military claimed that on Saturday 24 April they had succeeded in eliminating the rebels.

"FACT is ready to enter a ceasefire for a political settlement that respects Chadian independence and sovereignty and does not support a coup," FACT spokesman Kingabe Ogouzeimi de Tapol told Reuters on Sunday, April 25.

A military council headed by Deby's son, Mahamat Idriss Deby, took power after President Deby's death. The military council said it would run the country for 18 months, before restoring civilian rule. The country's constitution states that a replacement president who dies must be elected within 90 days.

The move was criticized by the rebel groups as monarchical domination, while some in positions called it a coup. Meanwhile, the African Union said it was deeply concerned about a military takeover.

The situation in the country threatens peace, security, and stability not only in Chad but also in the region, as well as on the continent, the African Union said in a statement on its website.

Opposition politicians and civil society have called for peaceful protests and national dialogue to end the crisis.

Regarding conditions in Chad, France as the former ruler of Chad has given its support to the Chad military council which intends to rule Chad during the transition period.

"France will never allow anyone, today or tomorrow, to threaten Chadian stability and integrity," said French President Emmanuel Macron while attending Deby's funeral in N'Djamena on Friday last week.

"The military council has a role to play in realizing stability, inclusion, dialogue, and democratic transition," he continued.

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also defended a military takeover in an interview with Paris-based France 2.

Le Drian said it was necessary to maintain stability in Chad and the region while calling for a swift transition.

To note, France is a key player in the battle against extremist insurgencies in West Africa. France has around 5,100 troops in counter-terrorism forces fighting ISIS and al-Qaeda-linked militants in West Africa's Sahel region.

The French Barkhane mission, which supports a regional force known as the G5 Sahel - comprised of troops from Chad, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso - is based in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.