Chad: rebel leader Timan Erdimi back in Ndjamena

Timan Erdimi, leader of the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR), waves to the crowd upon his arrival at the international airport in NDjamena, Chad, August 18, 2022, after 17 years in exile.

AFP - AURELIE BAZZARA-KIBANGULA

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The rebel leader of the UFR, the Union of Resistance Forces, returned this morning to Ndjamena in Chad.

This is the nephew of former President Idriss Déby Itno, who was at the head of the rebel columns which descended on the capital in 2019 and which had been stopped by the bombs of the mirages 2,000 dropped by the French army.

Timan Erdimi is therefore back home after 17 years in exile.

The head of the UFR is a signatory to the Doha agreement in Qatar.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Ndjamena

,

It was hand on heart that Timan Erdimi got off the plane that brought him back to Ndjamena early in the morning.

On the tarmac, about twenty relatives were there to welcome him despite the rain, warm hugs for some, tears for others hidden behind their white kadamoul for the occasion, a hundred relatives of his movement, the UFR, were also on the airport forecourt.

Happy and moved

There were also politicians from his family like Yaya Dillo Djerou.

Timan Erdimi declared to be happy and moved to return to his country after 17 years of exile, to see his daughter, his grandchildren and his relatives, he affirms that it is now necessary to participate in the construction of Chad and, says- he is meeting at the national dialogue to be held in a few days, on August 20 in Ndjamena.

About twenty minutes after his arrival, he left the airport cheered by his relatives, and was escorted by a large military force to his hotel.

#Chad Timane Erdimi arrived in N'Djamena, after 17 years of exile, welcomed by his relatives.

pic.twitter.com/04WEOfRtzk

– Aurélie Bazzara-Kibangula (@Aurelie_Bazzara) August 18, 2022

In exile for years after trying to overthrow former President Idriss Déby Itno, Timan Erdimi returned to N'Djamena on Thursday, two days before a national dialogue between the civil and armed opposition and the ruling junta.

The leader of the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR) must participate, from Saturday, in a major inclusive national dialogue, which must lead to " 

 " elections and the transfer of power to civilians.

Note also the return yesterday evening of other rebels in exile, including Gassim Cherif at the head of a dissident faction of the CCMSR, another important armed group in Chad.

►Also read

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

• Chad