Chad Declares Seven Days of National Mourning Over Dozens Killed During Protests

General Mahamat Idriss Déby, the head of the chadian junta, has proclaimed seven days of national mourning beginning on Tuesday in memory of the numerous victims of last week’s pro-democracy demonstrations.

Thr mourning comes after protests calling for a restoration to civilian authority resulted in the deaths of almost 50 individuals.

In a speech on Monday, Gen. Déby said that the protests were a “well-planned rebellion” with “foreign powers’ support.”

He claimed that the protesters had “murdered” security personnel “in their barracks” and “coldly killed citizens” with “the evident desire to launch a civil war.”

The junta leader accused political actors in the country of seeking the support of “foreign powers” to exert pressure on him, but he did not offer details on the foreign powers.

“Outsiders have provided arms and money to opportunistic Chadians who have not hesitated for a moment to destroy the country to satisfy their interests and meet foreign agendas,” Gen Déby said.

The protests last week took place on the day when President Déby was supposed to resign, but a meeting earlier this month decided to keep him in power for a further two years.

In 2021, the military appointed him president when his father, Idriss Déby Itno, who had held the position since 1990, passed away.