Chad: Former Commander of N’Djamena’s Gendarmerie Joins Armed Struggle
The Democratic Council for the Republic (CDR), led by Ousmane Hissein Bourma, announced in a statement that Commander Cherif Hamid has joined their ranks. Former intelligence officer and commander of the 10th Legion Company in N’Djamena, Commander Cherif Hamid Djouma declared that he has “in full conscience joined the armed struggle against the catastrophic regime that is leading our country to disaster.”
Since Mahamat Kaka came to power, a unique phenomenon has emerged within Chad’s military apparatus. Despite attempts at repression and corruption aimed at ensuring the loyalty of military elites, many senior officers are leaving the ruling power to join armed opposition movements outside or even political ones inside the country. These defections, far from being isolated cases, reveal a deep malaise within the armed forces, eroding cohesion and loyalty to the current regime. The regime seems unable to respond to the aspirations of an increasing number of its military elites, which could lead to power fragmentation and strengthen armed or unarmed groups opposed to the regime.
