AP Photo
- Mahamat Kaka, the son of Chad's President, Idriss Déby, was temporarily put in his place following his father's death.
- Rebels in the country have vowed to take over the country's capital.
- Déby died after suffering injuries fighting on the front line against the rebels.
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Following the death of Chad's President Idriss Déby, rebels vowed they would take over the country's capital, the Associated Press reported.
Déby, the country's longest-serving president, died from injuries he suffered after fighting on the front line against rebels in the city of N'Djamena. The rebel group Front for Change and Concord in Chad launched an attack on the army earlier this month.
The military named Déby's son, Mahamat Kaka, as the country's interim leader after his father's death but rebels who opposed Déby's rule, calling it oppressive, pushed back.
There was public discontent in the country on how Déby handled oil wealth and his opponents. In 2018, Déby pushed a new constitution through as law that extended his potential to serve until 2033.
"Chad is not a monarchy. There can be no dynastic devolution of power in our country," the rebels said in a statement late Tuesday, the AP reported. "The forces of the Front for Change and Concord are heading toward N'Djaména at this very moment. With confidence, but above all with courage and determination."
Déby's death came hours after he won his sixth term in office. He won the latest election with 79% of the vote, Reuters reported.
Western leaders have relied on him as an ally to fight against terrorism, especially groups like Boko Haram.