The head of Chad's ruling junta launched an "all-out disarmament operation" in the far north on Saturday, after 100 people died in armed clashes in the region, a presidential statement said.

The fighting between gold miners in Kouri Bougoudi, 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Libyan border, also left 40 wounded.

"No civilian should hold a weapon of war," General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said on Saturday during a visit to the region in the vast desert mountain range of Tibesti.

He ordered "the launch of an all-out disarmament operation in the area", according to the statement on Facebook.

"All Chadians and foreigners (operating in the) Kouri Bougoudi gold mining site must leave by Sunday at the latest. A military camp will be set up... to prevent any infiltration", he said.

"I will not leave Kouri Bougoudi until my instructions are applied on the ground," he added.

Kouri Bougoudi lies more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) from the Chadian capital N'Djamena. The Tibesti Mountains, a lawless frontier region in the heart of the Sahara, are a source of ethnic friction and a bolthole for armed groups.

The discovery of gold in the Tibesti 10 years ago sparked a rush of miners from across Chad and neighbouring countries. Many young Chadians from the impoverished centre of the country have headed there, often labouring in dangerous illegal mines.

The violence on May 23 was triggered by a "mundane dispute between two people which degenerated", according to Defence Minister General Daoud Yaya Brahim.

Last year Chad's 30-year ruler Idriss Deby Itno was killed during an operation against rebels in the north.

His place was taken by his son Mahamat at the head of a 15-member military junta.

dwi-dyg/lcm/bp

Meta

Related Links
The Long War - Doctrine and Application

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Myanmar junta says will carry out first judicial executions in decades
Yangon (AFP) June 3, 2022
Myanmar's junta will execute a former member of Aung San Suu Kyi's party and a prominent democracy activist, both of whom were convicted of terrorism, in the country's first judicial executions since 1990, a spokesman told AFP on Friday. Four people, including former MP Phyo Zeya Thaw and democracy activist Ko Jimmy, "who were sentenced to death will be hanged according to prison procedures", Zaw Min Tun told AFP. The junta has sentenced dozens of anti-coup activists to death as part of its cr ... read more