REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, ADDS NEW INFORMATION
By James Tasamba
KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – At least seven people including four police officers were killed in an attack on Chad’s National State Security Agency in the capital N'Djamena, authorities announced Thursday.*
Three people died “on the side of the attackers,” said Communications Minister Abderaman Koulamallah.
Earlier in the day, a public prosecutor said opposition leader Yaya Dillo was among those killed in clashes with security forces.
Dillo headed the Socialist Party Without Borders, which the government accused of attacking the National State Security Agency.
State Prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye told a press briefing that Dillo “died from injuries sustained during the assault on Wednesday at the headquarters of his party.”
The opposition leader and his supporters had reportedly taken refuge in their party’s headquarters in Bololo district of N'Djamena, when security forces besieged the place.
Reports said Dillo intended to challenge Chad’s transitional President Mahamat Idriss Deby in the presidential election scheduled for May 6, marking a transition to civilian rule.
Koulamallah said security forces intended to arrest Dillo and his supporters, but “they responded with heavy weapons and the security forces exercised their legitimate right to defense.”
Relative calm returned to the capital on Thursday, with businesses cautiously opening up, local media reported, after a day marked with sporadic gunfire and troop deployments.
Troops remained deployed in the city, the Internet remained cut off and private schools in some districts of the capital were closed.
The attack on Chad's National State Security Agency occurred on Wednesday, the country's government announced.
Twenty-six people have been arrested in connection with the attack, the prosecutor said.