Timane Erdimi

Timane Erdimi is the leader of the Chadian rebel group Rally of Democratic Forces (Rassemblement des Forces pour le Changement, RFC)[1] which had 800 soldiers in early 2008.[2] He is a member of the ethnic group Zaghawa and nephew of the Chadian President Idriss Déby.[1]

Biography

An international arrest warrant was issued by Chad for Erdimi in 2007. He was among 12 people sentenced to death in absentia by a Chadian court on August 15, 2008. Responding to this sentence, Erdimi said that he had been unaware of the trial and remarked that it was his opponents in the government who "should be put on trial".[3]

Despite past differences, various rebel groups, including the RFC, agreed to unite as the Union of Resistance Forces on January 19, 2009. Erdimi said that this move would "allow us to better fight against the regime", and he spoke scornfully of the improvements Déby had made to his military, saying that Déby "should have bought robots for his new tanks and planes" because "he won't find anyone to drive and fly them when we attack."[4] The Union of Resistance Forces reportedly chose Erdimi by consensus to lead the new group on January 23.[5]

By 2017, Erdimi was living in exile in Qatar; from there, he was still commanding a loyal rebel force which was based in southern Libya. His continued activities resulted in Chad severing diplomatic relations with Qatar, arguing that the later state was supporting "terrorism".[6]

2019 Erdimi was arrested in his home in France for connection with "his activities in Sudan between 2005 and 2010", Although he was later freed because of his medical condition.[7]

In 2022 Erdimi returned to Chad after 17 years in exile, days ahead of the start of national talks aimed at paving the way for elections after Mahamat Déby seized power.[8] Later that year, he was appointed as higher education minister, serving until his resignation in 2026.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Seibert HB (November 2007) MIT Security Studies Program Working Paper
  2. ^ Sudan issue brief no. 9: Echo effects - Chadian instability and the Darfur conflict, Small Arms Survey, 25 February 2008
  3. ^ "Chad sentences former president to death", Reuters (International Herald Tribune), August 15, 2008.
  4. ^ "Chad's rebels unify in bid to overthrow Deby", January 19, 2009.
  5. ^ "Chad rebels pick leader to head new unified group", AFP, January 23, 2009.
  6. ^ Ben Taub (21 February 2019). "A Shadow Rebellion in Chad". The New Yorker. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Chad rebel leader faces charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes in Paris". RFI. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Rebel leader Timan Erdimi returns to Chad after 17 years in exile". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Chad: Former rebel leader Erdimi quits ministerial post". Africanews. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
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