Yaya Dilou: Chadian opposition leader killed in an exchange of fire

An opposition leader in Chad was killed during a shootout with security forces, officials said.

Heavy gunfire was heard on Wednesday near his party headquarters in the capital, N'Djamena.

Mr. Dilo is an outspoken opponent of his cousin, President Mohamed Déby, who has been in power since 2021.

Déby succeeded his father, who was killed by rebels after three decades in power.

The unrest in the Central African country follows the announcement of presidential elections on May 6.

These elections aim to return the country to constitutional rule.

Communications Minister Abdul Rahman Kalamallah told AFP that Dilo died on Wednesday “as he was retreating, at his party headquarters. He did not want to surrender and opened fire on law enforcement forces.”

Delo said on Wednesday that the accusation that he was behind the attack on the NSA headquarters was intended to “scare me so that I won't go to the elections.”

One of Mr. Delo's colleagues, the Secretary-General of his Socialist Party Without Borders, told Reuters news agency that Socialist Party members were attacked by soldiers outside the ANSE building while trying to recover the body of their colleague Ahmed Al-Turabi.

The Palestinian security forces official said that Al-Turabi was arrested and shot dead on Tuesday before his body was dumped outside the ANSE building.

According to the government, Al-Turabi attempted to assassinate the President of the Supreme Court.

The Secretary-General said that his relatives and party members who tried to reach his body were shot on Wednesday morning, resulting in several deaths.