Chad opposition leader Yaya Dillo killed in gun clash

Yaya Dillo was killed during tensions in the buildup to presidential elections in Chad.

Chadian opposition politician Yaya Dillo was reported to have been killed during a confrontation with security forces, according to state prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye.

Heavy gunfire erupted on Wednesday in N’Djamena, the capital, near the headquarters of Dillo’s opposition party, as witnessed by onlookers. Earlier clashes near Chad’s internal security agency building had already resulted in several casualties.

The escalation occurred amidst heightened tensions leading up to a presidential election scheduled for May and June. This election could potentially mark a return to constitutional governance three years after military intervention seized control.

By Thursday morning, the capital had regained a semblance of calm, with residents returning to their routines. However, internet access, which had been blocked the previous day, remained unavailable.

On Wednesday, security forces cordoned off the headquarters of the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders, led by Dillo.

Accounts of the incidents from the government and the opposition party diverged significantly.

The government's statement alleged an attack by the party's representatives on the security agency, resulting in multiple casualties. Additionally, the government claimed that Ahmed Torabi, a member of the party, attempted to assassinate the president of the supreme court, Samir Adam Annour. Torabi was reportedly apprehended.

In contrast, the opposition party's general secretary informed Reuters that the casualties near the security agency occurred when soldiers opened fire on a group of party members. The general secretary also stated that Torabi had been fatally shot on Tuesday, and his body was found at the agency's headquarters. On Wednesday morning, when party members and Torabi's relatives went to retrieve his body, soldiers allegedly fired upon them, resulting in multiple fatalities.

In December, the supreme court endorsed a new constitution for voting, a move criticized for potentially consolidating the power of junta leader Mahamat Idriss Déby.

Déby's military government is among several juntas governing West and Central Africa. The region has witnessed eight coups since 2020, raising concerns about democratic regression.