Two killed by Chad forces at home of opposition head

AUTHORITIES in Chad and a senior opposition figure running for president blamed each other for a deadly gun battle in the capital yesterday morning.

Two people were killed and five wounded in a gun battle after security forces tried to detain politician Yaya Dillo Djérou, the government said.

Three of those wounded were members of the security forces who came under fire from the home of Mr Yaya Dillo, before firing back, said government spokesman Cherif Mahamat Zene.

“They had no other choice than to return fire in self defence,” he said.

But Mr Yaya Dillo gave a radically different account in a series of posts to his Facebook account early yesterday, writing that troops and police had surrounded his home in N’djamena.

“They have just killed my mother and

several relatives,” he added a few minutes later.

“An armoured vehicle has just broken down my front door. The fight for justice must go on to save our country.

“My dear compatriots, rise up!” he said in the last message, posted at dawn.

Mr Yaya Dillo is a former rebel chief who once served as a minister under veteran ruler President Idriss Déby Itno. On Friday, he filed papers to run for president in April against Mr Déby, who has ruled Chad for over 30 years and is running for a sixth term.