APA – N’Djamena (Chad) – On the morning of September 5, a French legionnaire killed a soldier who had come to the French army health center in Faya-Largeau for treatment.
According to initial reports, it all started with a misunderstanding between a Chadian soldier and a nurse from the French force based in Faya-Largeau, northern Chad.
At around 9 a.m., a Chadian soldier, who had come to the French force’s health center for treatment, had a misunderstanding with the French nurse. The cause of the dispute has not yet been disclosed. According to various sources, the Chadian soldier stabbed the French medic three times with an object. Seeing his brother-in-arms bleeding, another French legionnaire nearby opened fire on the now aggressive patient. Unfortunately, he died instantly.
The news, which reached the local population in the afternoon, caused tension. Hundreds of people attempted to demonstrate, leading to scuffles with the Chadian security forces. Several demonstrators were injured and admitted to hospital in Faya.
In a Facebook post, Ahmat Bedei Tolloumi, a member of the National Transitional Council (provisional parliament) and a native of Faya, raised the issue of the French presence in Chad. Currently in Faya, he strongly condemned the act and threatened to step down. “Enough is enough. Either justice will be done or I will resign from the CNT. The transitional government must take the necessary measures to punish the alleged assassin, otherwise we will dislodge this occupying force from our territory,” he threatened. His outburst earned him an arrest by the National Police, despite his parliamentary immunity.
According to the latest news, the French force’s base is cordoned off by Chadian law enforcement agencies. A delegation dispatched from N’Djamena is currently on site. Calm has returned, assures a local resident. For the moment, neither the Chadian nor the French authorities have made any official statement on the subject.
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