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Chad police fire tear gas at protesters

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Chadian security forces fired tear gas in the capital N’Djamena on Saturday as protesters took to the streets, angry at a military takeover of the government.

A military council assumed power in Chad following the battlefield death of President Idriss Deby last month.

It’s led by Deby’s son Mahamat Idriss Itno and has promised to organise elections within 18 months.

But some opposition parties and civil society groups have rejected the transitional government, calling it a coup.
They called for action, but on Friday the military council banned the protest.

Nevertheless, groups of protesters still took to the streets.

Among them, civil society group leader Real Mianrounga,  who said he was chased by security forces and described tear gas being fired and people being injured.

Chad is an important ally of Western nations in the fight against militants in western and central Africa.

On Saturday some protesters set fire to French flags angered by what they said was France’s support for the military transition in its former colony.

French President Emmanuel Macron had signalled strong backing of the military during Deby’s funeral.

But the French government has since shifted and called for a civilian national unity administration.

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