Opposition leader in Chad delays return from exile

The leader of Chad's opposition party, les Transformateurs (the Transformers), is postponing his return from exile to next month.

Succès Masra had been due to return to the country on October 20 but says he is now delaying on the advice of the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Masra fled Chad a year ago following a deadly crackdown on protesters opposed to election delays by the ruling military junta.

He vowed last month to return home by 20 October, the anniversary of the protests.

On Sunday, however, he issued a statement saying  Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, the current chairperson of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) bloc, advised him to delay his return until early November.

He did not say the date he now plans to return on.

His postponement comes after Chad's junta reportedly ordered airlines not to fly the opposition leader home and to provide the names of all passengers travelling to the capital N'Djamena.

In July, the junta issued an arrest warrant for Masra, accusing him of inciting hatred and rebellion. 

The ruling junta, led by Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has been in power since 2021.