A leading critic of Chad's military leader, Mahamat Déby, has been killed in a shootout with security forces, officials say.

Yaya Dillo's death comes after the government blamed him for a deadly attack on the country's security agency. He denied the accusation.

On Wednesday, heavy gunfire was heard near his party's headquarters in the capital, N'Djamena.

Mr Dillo was also a cousin of President Déby, who has been in power since 2021.

Mr Déby was named by the army to succeed his father who was killed by rebels after three decades in power.

The unrest in the Central African country follows the announcement that presidential election will be held on 6 May.

These elections are intended to return the country to constitutional rule.

Before his death, Mr Dillo was widely predicted to be his cousin's main opponent in the election.

He was the leader of the Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF).

Communications Minister Abderaman Koulamallah told the AFP news agency that Mr Dillo had died on Wednesday "where he had retreated, at the headquarters of his party. He didn't want to surrender and fired on law enforcement".

The authorities said 12 others also died in the shootout.

Mobile phone and internet networks in Chad have been down since the reported attack on the National Security Agency (ANSE) headquarters.

On Wednesday, Mr Dillo said the accusation he was behind the attack was intended "to make me afraid so that I don't go to the election".

The government had accused Mr Dillo's PSF colleague, Ahmed Torabi, of attempting to assassinate the president of the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Mr Torabi was arrested and shot dead, the PSF said.

Wednesday was not Mr Dillo's first violent run-in with security forces.

When running against the current president's father, Idriss Déby, for the presidency in 2021, state forces killed Mr Dillo's mother, son and three others, the PSF said.

The party said the assailants were attempting to arrest Mr Dillo.

At the time, the government contested the PSF's death toll, saying three people had been killed.

Source:
courtesy of BBC NEWS

by Mayeni Jones & Wedaeli Chibelushi | BBC News, Lagos and London

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