- Written by Maynie Jones and Wedayle Chipiloshi
- BBC News, Lagos and London
Image source, Isouf Sanogo
Opposition politician Yaya Dello has been an outspoken opponent of his cousin, President Mohamed Déby
A prominent opponent of Chadian military leader Mohamed Déby was killed in a shootout with security forces, officials said.
Heavy gunfire was heard on Wednesday near his party headquarters in the capital, N'Djamena.
Mr. Delo was also a cousin of President Déby, who has been in power since 2021.
The army appointed Déby to succeed his father, who was killed by the rebels after three decades in power.
The unrest in the Central African country follows the announcement of presidential elections on May 6.
These elections aim to return the country to constitutional rule.
Before his death, Dillo was widely expected to be his cousin's main rival in the election.
He was the leader of the Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF).
Communications Minister Abdul Rahman Kalamallah told AFP that Dilo died on Wednesday “as he was retreating, at his party headquarters. He did not want to surrender and opened fire on law enforcement forces.”
Authorities said 12 others were also killed in the shootout.
Mobile phone and internet networks have been disrupted in Chad since the reported attack on the headquarters of the National Security Agency (ANSE).
Delo said on Wednesday that the accusation that he was behind the attack was intended to “scare me so that I will not go to the elections.”
The government accused Ahmed Al-Turabi, Delo's colleague in the Palestinian security forces, of attempting to assassinate the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Palestinian security forces said that Al-Turabi was arrested and shot dead.
Wednesday was not the first violent clash between Dilo and security forces.
Palestinian security forces said government forces killed Dilou's mother, son and three others as they ran against the current president's father, Idriss Deby, for the presidency in 2021.
The party said the attackers were trying to arrest Mr. Dilo.
At the time, the government cast doubt on the death toll announced by Palestinian security forces, saying that three people had been killed.
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