\n With news of the death of newly re-elected veteran leader Idriss Deby Itno on Tuesday, we look back on the key events of his 30 years at the helm of the huge mostly desert African state.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 1990: Seizes the capital -\n<\/p>\n
\n Former army chief turned rebel leader, Deby seizes power in December 1990 when his troops enter the capital N'Djamena and send dictator Hissene Habre fleeing into exile in Senegal.\n<\/p>\n
\n After six years of transition towards democracy, he is elected president in 1996 in Chad's first multi-party election, bringing some of the political opposition into government.\n<\/p>\n
\n He is reelected in 2001 but comes under increasing pressure from the opposition accusing him of election fraud and human rights violations.\n<\/p>\n
\n A 2005 referendum approves changes to the constitution to remove limits on presidential terms.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2008: Rebel offensives -\n<\/p>\n
\n In late 2005 there are mass desertions in army ranks. Soldiers intent on overthrowing the regime set up in the east, near the border with Sudan, where they form armed movements.\n<\/p>\n
\n In 2006 N'Djamena breaks diplomatic ties with Khartoum for several months, accusing Sudan of aiding rebels who are seeking to overthrow Deby.\n<\/p>\n
\n In 2008 rebels attack the capital, reaching the gates of the presidential palace before being pushed back with the aid of French forces.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2013: Anti-jihadist fight -\n<\/p>\n
\n Chad deploys 2,000 troops alongside French forces to counter advances by jihadists groups occupying northern Mali since 2012.\n<\/p>\n
\n In 2014 the French army establishes the headquarters of a new operation against jihadist groups in the region in N'Djamena.\n<\/p>\n
\n The following year Chad launches a ground offensive in neighbouring Nigeria against the radical Islamist group Boko Haram, which is destabilising the countries bordering Lake Chad.\n<\/p>\n
\n Chad troops also join the G5 Sahel multinational force headquartered in Mauritania and the 13,000-man UN force in Mali, MINUSMA.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2016: Fifth term -\n<\/p>\n
\n Deby is reelected in April for a fifth mandate with around 60 percent of votes compared to 13 percent for the opposition leader Saleh Kebzabo.\n<\/p>\n
\n The opposition claims the vote is a \"political hold-up\".\n<\/p>\n
\n A month later a special court in Senegal sentences Habre to life in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity during his time in power in Chad.\n<\/p>\n
\n In 2018 parliament passes a controversial change to the constitution that further bolsters Deby's powers. The opposition boycotts the vote.\n<\/p>\n
\n The following year an armed group opposed to Deby -- the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR) led by his nephew Timan Erdimi -- enters Chad in columns of pick-ups.\n<\/p>\n
\n At N'Djamena's request, France carries out air strikes to stop their advance.\n<\/p>\n
\n Chad launches another major offensive against Boko Haram in 2020 after the death of around 100 of its soldiers in the Lake Chad area.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2021: Death fighting rebels -\n<\/p>\n
\n In the weeks leading up to the April 11 presidential vote the campaign turns deadly.\n<\/p>\n
\n In February a gun battle erupts at the home of a candidate after security forces try to arrest him. At least three people die.\n<\/p>\n
\n Deby, 68, is re-elected to a sixth term after clinching 79.32 percent of the vote, according to provisional results from the electoral commission announced the day before his death.\n<\/p>\n
\n Hours after the election results are announced, the army says it has killed 300 fighters waging a rebel offensive launched on election day.\n<\/p>\n
\n On Tuesday the army announces Deby has died of injuries while fighting rebels in the north of the Sahel country.\n<\/p>\n
\n Deby \"has just breathed his last breath defending the sovereign nation on the battlefield,\" over the weekend, says army spokesman General Azem Bermandoa Agouna in a statement read out on state television.\n<\/p>\n
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With news of the death of newly re-elected veteran leader Idriss Deby Itno on Tuesday, we look back on the key events of his 30 years at the helm of the huge mostly desert African state. - 1990: Seizes the capital - Former army chief turned rebel leader, Deby seizes power in December 1990 when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[553],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-76243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n