The Causes of the Power Struggle between Maloum and Hébri in Chad (1978–1979)

Abstract

The civil war that broke out on the morning of February 12, 1979, in N’Djamena was preceded by a series of preparations undertaken by two rival parties: the Supreme Military Council (CSM) led by Malloum, and the Armed Forces Northern Command Council (CCFAN) led by Habré. The two adversaries signed a peace agreement in Khartoum, which was later ratified by a Fundamental Charter acting as a constitution on August 25, 1978. However, both competitors had their own agendas and objectives: Malloum aimed, through the Fundamental Charter, to incorporate Habré into his regime, thereby isolating him from other rebel factions, containing him, and using him to strike the Frolina rebels. Habré, on the other hand, sought to infiltrate the system and eventually overthrow it. Disagreements soon surfaced as each party interpreted the provisions of the Fundamental Charter in a way that enhanced its own authority while undermining the other, leading to obstruction of state institutions. The situation escalated further as both sides began preparing for armed confrontation: Habré moved hundreds of his fighters from the eastern part of the country to the capital, N’Djamena, and recruited thousands of young men, while the Supreme Military Council transferred a large quantity of heavy weaponry from the Mossoro military base to N’Djamena. Propaganda and media warfare also intensified, with Habré mobilizing the northerners and Malloum rallying the southerners. In general, between September 1978 and February 1979, Chad experienced the existence of two rival armies and governments in the capital, plunging the country into a fierce civil war that devastated both people and infrastructure. As a result, Malloum lost power, which passed to one of the northern Frolina factions, while Habré became an active participant in the conflict.