Latest news with #Masra
News24
20-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Chad: Ex-PM Masra arrested over deadly clashes
Chad's former prime minister, Succes Masra, was arrested on Friday for allegedly inciting hatred that resulted in the deaths of dozens earlier this week. While Masra's party said he was 'kidnapped' by the judicial police on Friday morning, public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said that Chad's former premier was being investigated on charges that included incitement of hatred and revolt, complicity in murder and the desecration of graves. What else did the prosecutor say about Masra's arrest? The prosecutor said investigations by the judicial police pointed to Masra's involvement in a clash that killed 42 people on Wednesday in the southwest province of Logone Occidental, mostly women and children. 'This alleged involvement incited the population against a community residing in the same locality. Messages were circulated, notably on social networks, calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens,' the prosecutor said. Meanwhile, Masra's opposition 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'. What is the political crisis in Chad? In 2022, Masra went into exile after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on civil unrest over President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno's decision to extend his rule by two more years. READ | Chad junta chief launches presidential campaign without main rivals More than 60 people were killed in the unrest, which the government said was as 'an attempted coup'. Following his return to Chad, Masra was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in an effort to appease the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Masra, who served as Chad prime minister from January to May 2024, faced off against Deby in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's most vociferous opponents, he won 18.5% of the vote while the incumbent secured 61.3%. But Masra cried foul, alleging electoral fraud. While Muslims are predominant in the vast Sahara desert and the arid Sahel region in Chad's north and centre, the far south of the country is largely Christian and animist. Masra belongs to the Ngambay subgroup of the Sara people who traditionally inhabit southern Chad and among whom the former prime minister enjoys widespread support.
Kuwait Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Chad's ex-premier arrested for inciting hatred
N'DJAMENA, Chad: Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succes Masra was arrested early Friday accused of inciting hatred in connection with deadly clashes in the southwest, the public prosecutor said. Masra, who served as premier from January to May last year, faced off against President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's fiercest opponents, he won 18.5 percent of the vote against Deby's 61.3 percent, but claimed victory. Earlier Friday, his party said Masra had been abducted from his home in the early morning. A post by The Transformers party featured an unverified video showing him leaving his residence surrounded by around a dozen armed men in military uniform. Prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye later said Masra had been detained after inquiries into a clash in the southwestern region of Logone-Occidental on Wednesday. 'The investigations carried out by the judicial police revealed the involvement' of Masra, Mahamat Kedelaye told reporters. 'Messages were disseminated particularly on social media calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens,' the prosecutor said. Territorial Administration Minister Limat Mahamat told journalists Friday of 'a massacre that was planned, organized, executed methodically'. It was, he added, triggered by 'an audio recording that incited hatred, revolt against populations seen as non-natives of this territory'. Wednesday's violence claimed the lives of 42 people, mostly women and children, the prosecutor said, raising a previously reported toll of 35. One local source said Thursday that the cause of the violence was thought to be a dispute between ethnic Fulani nomadic herders and local Ngambaye farmers over the demarcation of grazing and farming areas. Conflicts between pastoralists and sedentary farmers are estimated by the International Crisis Group to have caused more than 1,000 deaths and 2,000 injuries between 2021 and 2024. —AFP Masra, who comes from the south, is ethnic Ngambaye and enjoys wide support in the region, whose people are mostly Christian and animist and complain of being marginalized by the mostly Muslim central government. The 41-year-old economist, who trained in France and Cameroon, was a fierce opponent of the ruling authorities before they named him prime minister five months before the presidential election. He contested the results and his party then boycotted parliamentary elections in December. The elections cemented Deby's rule and ended a three-year transition period. He had promised an 18-month transition to democracy but extended it by another two years. Deby had been proclaimed transitional president by fellow army generals in 2021 after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled Chad for 30 years, was killed in a gun battle with rebels. Opposition figures have fled, been silenced or joined with Deby. -- AFP
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Chad: Ex-PM Masra arrested over deadly clashes
Succes Masra Chad's former prime minister, Succes Masra, was arrested on Friday for allegedly inciting hatred that resulted in the deaths of dozens earlier this week. While Masra's party said he was "kidnapped" by the judicial police on Friday morning, public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said that Chad's former premier was being investigated on charges that included incitement of hatred and revolt, complicity in murder and the desecration of graves. What else did the prosecutor say about Masra's arrest? The prosecutor said investigations by the judicial police pointed to Masra's involvement in a clash that killed 42 people on Wednesday in the southwest province of Logone Occidental, mostly women and children. "This alleged involvement incited the population against a community residing in the same locality. Messages were circulated, notably on social networks, calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens," the prosecutor said. Meanwhile, Masra's opposition 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." What is the political crisis in Chad? In 2022, Masra went into exile after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on civil unrest over President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno's decision to extend his rule by two more years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Avoid Emotional Trades in Volatile Markets – Master Swing with Hemant TradeWise Learn More Undo More than 60 people were killed in the unrest, which the government said was as "an attempted coup." Following his return to Chad, Masra was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in an effort to appease the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Masra, who served as Chad prime minister from January to May 2024, faced off against Deby in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's most vociferous opponents, he won 18.5% of the vote while the incumbent secured 61.3%. But Masra cried foul, alleging electoral fraud. While Muslims are predominant in the vast Sahara desert and the arid Sahel region in Chad's north and center, the far south of the country is largely Christian and animist. Masra belongs to the Ngambay subgroup of the Sara people who traditionally inhabit southern Chad and among whom the former prime minister enjoys widespread support.
DW
16-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
Chad: Ex-PM Masra arrested over deadly clashes – DW – 05/16/2025
Succes Masra has been detained over the alleged incitement of protests that have resulted in the deaths of dozens. The former prime minister has been an outspoken opponent of President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno. Chad's former prime minister, Succes Masra, was arrested on Friday for allegedly inciting hatred that resulted in the deaths of dozens earlier this week. While Masra's party said he was "kidnapped" by the judicial police on Friday morning, public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said that Chad's former premier was being investigated on charges that included incitement of hatred and revolt, complicity in murder and the desecration of graves. What else did the prosecutor say about Masra's arrest? The prosecutor said investigations by the judicial police pointed to Masra's involvement in a clash that killed 42 people on Wednesday in the southwest province of Logone Occidental, mostly women and children. "This alleged involvement incited the population against a community residing in the same locality. Messages were circulated, notably on social networks, calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens," the prosecutor said. Chad 'opened the doors to all the refugees from Sudan' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Masra's opposition 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." What is the political crisis in Chad? In 2022, Masra went into exile after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on civil unrest over President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno's decision to extend his rule by two more years. More than 60 people were killed in the unrest, which the government said was as "an attempted coup." Following his return to Chad, Masra was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in an effort to appease the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Masra, who served as Chad prime minister from January to May 2024, faced off against Deby in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's most vociferous opponents, he won 18.5% of the vote while the incumbent secured 61.3%. But Masra cried foul, alleging electoral fraud. While Chad's Muslims represent a narrow majority of the population, the south of the country is largely Christian and animist. Masra belongs to the Ngambay subgroup of the Sara people who are predominant in the south and among whom the former prime minister enjoys widespread support. France grapples with waning influence in West Africa To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Chad PM 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 said. He is suspected of spreading hateful messages on social media linked to the violence in which at least 42 people died, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said. Masra's 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". Masra is a fierce critic of President Mahamat Déby and claimed to have defeated him in elections last year. Masra 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 land. More than 80 others have also been detained in connection with the clashes. Masra 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 process. The Déby family has ruled Chad for more than three decades. The military installed Déby as Chad's leader after his father, Idriss Déby Itno, was killed by rebels in 2021. Additional reporting by Chris Ewokor A quick guide to Chad Why does France have military bases in Africa? Chad's military ruler wins presidential poll Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
