Mahamat Déby

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General Major

Mahamat Déby
محمد بن إدريس ديبي إتنو
Mahamat Déby.png
Déby in 2021
7th President of Chad
Assumed office
20 April 2021
Prime MinisterAlbert Pahimi Padacké
Vice President [fr]
Preceded byIdriss Déby
(as President)
Personal details
Born (1984-01-01) 1 January 1984 (age 37)[1]
Massakory, Chad
FatherIdriss Déby
Military service
Nickname(s)Kaka
Allegiance Chad
Branch/serviceChad Chadian Army
RankGeneral Major
UnitThird Armoured Brigade
Fifth Air Brigade
Free Arab Volountiers
Battles/warsChadian Civil War (2005–2010)

Mahamat ibn Idriss Déby Itno (Arabic: محمد بن إدريس ديبي إتنو‎; born 1 January 1984), also known as Mahamat Kaka,[2] is the Chairman of the Transitional Military Council of Chad as the de facto President of Chad.[3] He is the son of the late Chadian President Idriss Déby. He gained power as the acting President of Chad on 20 April 2021 when his father, Idriss Déby died in action while commanding troops in the Northern Chad offensive. He previously served as the second in-command of the military for the Chadian Intervention in Northern Mali (FATIM).

Military career[]

Mahamat Déby first enrolled at the Joint Grouping of military schools in Chad. He subsequently received training in France, at the military school of Aix-en-Provence. Upon his return he was enrolled in second promotion of semi direct of the school of officer inter arme and later was appointed to the service branch for the Security of State Institutions (SERS), as a deputy commander of the groupement of infenterie. His first combat experience took place in April 2006 when rebels attacked the capital city of Chad and later participated in combat in eastern Chad along with General Abu Bakr al Said, then director of gendarmery, Mahamat was given the rank of major afterward. He led forces when he took part in the command of Chadian forces during the Battle of Am Dam, where his army defeated the rebels.[4]

Following his victory, he was appointed in command of the armored squadrons and bodyguards of the SERS. In January 2013, he was appointed second in command of the Chadian special forces in Mali under general Oumar Bikimo. On 22 February, he led his army against rebels in the Adrar al-Ifoghas mountains in Northern Mali leading to the Battle of al-Ifoghas. They eliminated a rebel base said to be of "significant importance", inflicting heavy losses upon the rebels but also losing twenty-six men in the process, including Abdel Aziz Hassane Adam, a commander of special forces. Mahamat took full command of the FATIM and has since been leading operations against rebels in the North.[5]

Chairman of the Transitional Military Council[]

After Mahamat's father, Idriss Déby, died at the hands of FACT on 20 April 2021, the military announced that the elected government and National Assembly have been dissolved and that a Transitional Military Council led by Mahamat will lead the nation for 18 months.[6] A new charter replaced the Constitution of Chad, making Mahamat the interim President and head of the armed forces.[7]

Some political actors within Chad have labeled the installing of the transitional military government a "coup", as the constitutional provisions regarding the filling of a presidential vacancy were not followed.[8] Namely, according to the constitution, the President of the National Assembly, Haroun Kabadi, should have been named Acting President after president Idriss Déby's death, and an early election called within a period of no less than 45 and no more than 90 days from the time of the vacancy.[9] However, one of Chad's main foreign policy allies, France, has defended the development as necessary, citing the "exceptional circumstances" caused by the rebellion.[10] Furthermore, the FACT rebels have issued an open threat to the new government, stating that "Chad is not a monarchy" and vowing to continue fighting until they reach N'Djamena and depose Mahamat Déby from power.[11]

See also[]

  • Military of Chad

References[]

  1. ^ "PORTRAIT". Présidence de la République du Tchad (in French). 20 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Idriss Deby's son Kaka named interim head of state, says army spokesman". Reuters. April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  3. ^ "Chad President Idriss Deby dies visiting front-line troops: Army". Al Jazeera. April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  4. ^ Editor, PM NEWS (20 April 2021). "Chad: Slain Deby's son Mahamat Deby Itno heads military council". P.M. News. Retrieved 20 April 2021.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Le général Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, 29 ans et fils d'Idriss Deby, commande la force tchadienne au Mali". bamada.net (in French). 16 February 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Chad's President Idriss Déby dies 'in clashes with rebels'". BBC News. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  7. ^ Ramadane, Madjiasra Nako, Mahamat (April 21, 2021). "Chad in turmoil after Deby death as rebels, opposition challenge military". Reuters. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "Chad president's death: Rivals condemn 'dynastic coup'". BBC News. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  9. ^ "Chad's Constitution of 2018" (PDF). constituteproject.org. Constitute Project. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 April 2021.
  10. ^ Irish, John; Salaün, Tangi (April 22, 2021). "With eye on Islamist fight, France backs Chad military takeover". Reuters. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  11. ^ "Who are Chad's FACT rebels and what are their goals?". Al Jazeera. April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.


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