N'Djamena (AFP)
The Chadian government announced Thursday that it had seized "the competent authorities" to open a judicial investigation after the announcement by Facebook of the deletion of fake managed accounts in Russia and France, accused of carrying out interference operations in Africa.
These networks targeted countries in northern Africa and the Near East, notably Chad.
Within each of them, the participants used fake profiles, which led Facebook to act on Tuesday.
These accounts sometimes gave voice to false inhabitants of these countries.
They published in French and Arabic information on current events including "France's policy in French-speaking Africa, the security situation in various African countries, allegations of possible Russian interference in the elections in the Central African Republic, and comments favorable to the French army, "Facebook said in particular.
"The government condemns these attempts to manipulate African public opinion or discredit sovereign countries," said Cherif Mahamat Zene, spokesperson for the Chadian government in a statement.
He "seizes the competent authorities for the purpose of opening a judicial investigation against X and expresses the availability of the National Agency for Computer Security and Electronic Certification (ANSICE) to collaborate with Facebook to thwart these operations which are detrimental to the interests of several country".
The government "invites all African countries victims of these manipulative acts to consider setting up a joint framework for coordinating actions and efforts, as well as exchanging information to better protect themselves against any new forms of attack on their interests through social networks ".
"We are not surprised by the conclusions" published by Facebook, but "without being at this stage in a position to attribute possible responsibilities", the French Ministry of the Armed Forces reacted on Wednesday in a statement to AFP.
Russia, for its part, did not comment.
Facebook had announced to have, in the French case, deleted 84 accounts, six pages, nine groups as well as 16 Instagram accounts, a subsidiary of Facebook.
© 2020 AFP