A high-ranking Chadian military officer and cousin to President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has been expelled from the army for what authorities described as a “serious offence,” according to official decrees issued on Friday, 11 April.
The Ministry of Armed Forces, Veterans and War Victims confirmed the dismissal of General Abdelrahim Barh Mahamat Itno, a first cousin of the sitting president.
The decree, signed on April 11, cited a “serious fault” as grounds for his removal, though no specific details were released regarding the nature of the misconduct.
Speculation has been rife on social media since mid-March, with unverified reports alleging that the general harboured “intentions of rebellion” against the current administration led by his cousin.
These rumours have not been formally addressed by government sources.
General Abdelrahim Barh Mahamat Itno previously served as a senior defence adviser to the late President Idriss Déby Itno.
This marks the second time he has been removed from the military ranks.
He was last reinstated in May 2021, shortly after the military seized power following President Idriss Déby Itno’s death in April 2021.
The latest move appears to be part of a broader effort to enforce discipline within Chad’s military.
On the same day, 11 April, another officer, Second Lieutenant Djibrine Tidjani Abbas (service number 14030043), was also sanctioned.
He was demoted to the rank of second-class soldier and discharged from the army, also for a “serious fault,” according to the official decree.
The government has not commented further on the dismissals, nor clarified whether the actions are linked to broader internal unrest within the armed forces.
The developments come at a sensitive time for Chad, which continues to navigate complex political dynamics in the aftermath of its 2021 transition of power.
