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Arab News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader arrested in clash probe
N'DJAMENA, Chad: Chad's former Prime Minister and opposition leader Succes Masra was arrested for his alleged involvement in a clash between herders and farmers in the country's southwest a day earlier, the country's prosecutor said. Public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said fighting on Thursday in Chad's southwestern Logone Occidental province left 42 people dead and several homes burned. Clashes between herders and farmers, who accuse herders of grazing livestock on their land, are common in the Central African country. The prosecutor said Masra is being investigated on charges of inciting hatred and revolt through social media posts that called on the population to arm themselves against a community in the area. Other charges against the former prime minister include complicity in murder. Masra's Transformers party said earlier in a statement that their leader was 'kidnapped' from his residence and expressed 'deep concern over this brutal action carried out outside any known judicial procedures and in blatant violation of the civil rights guaranteed by the constitution.' Ndolembai Sade Njesada, the party's vice president, released a video appearing to show armed men in uniforms escorting Masra out of a residential building. Masra is one of the leading figures opposed to President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who seized power after his father, who spent three decades in power, was killed fighting rebels in 2021. In 2022, Masra fled Chad after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on protests against Deby's decision to extend his time in power by two more years. More than 60 people were killed in the protests, which the government condemned as 'an attempted coup.' Following his return from exile, Masra was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in a bid to appease tensions with the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Deby won the election, but the results were contested by the opposition, which had claimed victory and alleged electoral fraud. Masra resigned from his role as prime minister shortly after the election.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Chad's Succès Masra: Former prime minister arrested over alleged links to deadly clashes
Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader, Succès Masra, has been arrested over alleged links to clashes which took place on Wednesday in the south west of the country, a public prosecutor has is suspected of spreading hateful messages on social media linked to the violence in which at least 42 people died, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye Transformers party said he had been "kidnapped" by military officers in the early hours of the morning" and denounced his detention, which it says was "carried out outside of any known judicial procedure".The government has not yet commented on Masra's arrest. Masra is a fierce critic of President Mahamat Déby and claimed to have defeated him in elections last said his victory had been stolen "from the people" although the official results said Déby had won with 61% of the vote. Wednesday's clashes broke out in the village of Mandakao, in Logone Occidental province near the Cameroonian border."Messages were circulated, notably on social networks, calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens," Mr Kedelaye said. It is not entirely clear what caused the violence, but one source told the AFP news agency that it is believed it was triggered by a land dispute between farmers from the Ngambaye community and Fulani herdsmen. There has been a troubling recent pattern of violence between local farmers and herders, with the farmers accusing the latter of grazing animals on their than 80 others have also been detained in connection with the briefly served as interim prime minister of the transitional government between January and May 2024. His party boycotted legislative polls last December due to concerns over the transparency of the electoral Déby family has ruled Chad for more than three military installed Déby as Chad's leader after his father, Idriss Déby Itno, was killed by rebels in 2021. Additional reporting by Chris Ewokor More BBC Africa articles about Chad: A quick guide to ChadWhy does France have military bases in Africa?Chad's military ruler wins presidential poll Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Washington Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Chad opposition party says former prime minister Masra 'abducted' from his home
N'DJAMENA, Chad — Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succès Masra was taken into custody by security forces on Friday, in what his party called an 'abduction.' Public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said Masra was arrested in connection with an intercommunal clash in Chad's southwest province of Logone Occidental that killed 42 people. Masra is accused of inciting hatred and violence through social media posts that called on the population to arm themselves against a community in the area, according to the prosecutor. It is unclear what specific posts the prosecutor was referring to. Clashes between herders and farmers, who accuse the herders of grazing livestock on their land, are common in the Central African country. Masra's Transformers party said in a statement that their leader was 'kidnapped' in his residence and expressed 'deep concern over this brutal action carried out outside any known judicial procedures and in blatant violation of the civil and political rights guaranteed by the constitution.' Ndolembai Sade Njesada, the party's vice president, released video appearing to show armed men in uniforms escorting Masra out of a residential building. Masra is one of the main opposition figures against President Mahamat Idriss Deby , who seized power after his father, who spent three decades in power, was killed fighting rebels in 2021. In 2022, Masra fled Chad after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on protests against Deby's decision to extend his time in power by two more years. More than 60 people were killed in the protests, which the government condemned as 'an attempted coup.' Following his return from exile he was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in a bid to appease tensions with the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Deby won the election, but the results were contested by the opposition which had claimed victory and alleged electoral fraud. Masra resigned from his role as prime minister shortly after the election. —————— Associated Press writer Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali contributed to this report.
Associated Press
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Chad opposition party says former prime minister Masra 'abducted' from his home
N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succès Masra was taken into custody by security forces on Friday, in what his party called an 'abduction.' Public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said Masra was arrested in connection with an intercommunal clash in Chad's southwest province of Logone Occidental that killed 42 people. Masra is accused of inciting hatred and violence through social media posts that called on the population to arm themselves against a community in the area, according to the prosecutor. It is unclear what specific posts the prosecutor was referring to. Clashes between herders and farmers, who accuse the herders of grazing livestock on their land, are common in the Central African country. Masra's Transformers party said in a statement that their leader was 'kidnapped' in his residence and expressed 'deep concern over this brutal action carried out outside any known judicial procedures and in blatant violation of the civil and political rights guaranteed by the constitution.' Ndolembai Sade Njesada, the party's vice president, released video appearing to show armed men in uniforms escorting Masra out of a residential building. Masra is one of the main opposition figures against President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who seized power after his father, who spent three decades in power, was killed fighting rebels in 2021. In 2022, Masra fled Chad after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on protests against Deby's decision to extend his time in power by two more years. More than 60 people were killed in the protests, which the government condemned as 'an attempted coup.' Following his return from exile he was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in a bid to appease tensions with the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Deby won the election, but the results were contested by the opposition which had claimed victory and alleged electoral fraud. Masra resigned from his role as prime minister shortly after the election. —————— Associated Press writer Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali contributed to this report.
