Yaya Dillo Djerou, a prominent opponent of Chad’s ruling junta and leader of the Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF), was killed in an army assault on his party headquarters, according to a government spokesman.
Abderaman Koulamallah, also the communications minister, stated that Dillo refused to surrender and engaged in gunfire with law enforcement, resulting in his death on Wednesday.
The prosecutor general earlier mentioned “dead including Yaya Dillo” without providing specific details.
The incident followed accusations against Dillo for allegedly leading an attack on the offices of the internal security agency after the arrest of a PSF member accused of attempting to assassinate the president of the supreme court.
Dillo vehemently denied involvement, calling the claim a “lie” and politically motivated. He also dismissed the attack on the supreme court president as “staged.”
Chad recently announced a presidential election on May 6, contested by transitional president Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and Yaya Dillo, who were cousins.
