Chad: Chief of police and other senior officials fired after violent protest crackdown

Three weeks after a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Chad, the country’s chief of police and head of the gendarmerie have been replaced, as have a number of other senior officers.

French-language broadcaster RFI says it has spoken to an inside source who called it a tightening of power.

Chad is ruled by a military junta whose leader originally said he would step down, but recently announced he was extending his rule by another two years.

That announcement prompted mass protests by Chadians demanding a return to civilian rule. Dozens of civilians were killed in those protests leading to international criticism and a crisis summit of central African leaders.