Succès Masra, the former prime minister and opposition leader in Chad, has been arrested following alleged connections to a violent clash that left 42 people dead.
Former Prime Minister of Chad Arrested Amid Violent Clash Allegations
Former Prime Minister of Chad Arrested Amid Violent Clash Allegations
Chad's political tension escalates as former Prime Minister Succès Masra is detained over social media incitements linked to deadly violence.
Masra, known for his vocal criticism of President Mahamat Déby, was taken into custody early Wednesday by military officers, who his Transformers party claims executed the detention without judicial process. The public prosecutor, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye, indicated that Masra is suspected of disseminating inflammatory messages on social networks pertaining to the violence that erupted in Mandakao, Logone Occidental province.
The unrest seems to have stemmed from an underlying land dispute between local farmers belonging to the Ngambaye community and Fulani herdsmen, escalating tensions reported to have flared due to calls for armed confrontation. In a broader crackdown, over 80 individuals connected to the violent incidents have also been detained.
Masra previously served as Chad's interim prime minister briefly and asserted victory over Déby in last year’s elections, despite official results indicating the current president secured a significant majority of the vote. With a political landscape dominated by the Déby family for over thirty years, Masra's imprisonment raises questions about democratic processes in the country following a legislative poll boycott by his party last December.
As Chad grapples with recurring violence between farmers and herders, these events underscore the increasing volatility and deep-rooted issues impacting national stability.
The unrest seems to have stemmed from an underlying land dispute between local farmers belonging to the Ngambaye community and Fulani herdsmen, escalating tensions reported to have flared due to calls for armed confrontation. In a broader crackdown, over 80 individuals connected to the violent incidents have also been detained.
Masra previously served as Chad's interim prime minister briefly and asserted victory over Déby in last year’s elections, despite official results indicating the current president secured a significant majority of the vote. With a political landscape dominated by the Déby family for over thirty years, Masra's imprisonment raises questions about democratic processes in the country following a legislative poll boycott by his party last December.
As Chad grapples with recurring violence between farmers and herders, these events underscore the increasing volatility and deep-rooted issues impacting national stability.
