Hissène Habré, also spelled Hissen Habré, was a Chadian politician and convicted war criminal who served as the 5th president of Chad from 1982 until he was deposed in 1990.
Habré during a visit to the United States in 1987
Ronald Reagan with Habré at the White House
Idriss Deby, Habré's successor, who served as a commander during the Chadian-Libyan war, was killed four months before Habre's death.
Chadian Civil War (1965–1979)
The Chadian Civil War of 1965–1979 was waged by several rebel factions against two Chadian governments. The initial rebellion erupted in opposition to Chadian President François Tombalbaye, whose regime was marked by authoritarianism, extreme corruption, and favoritism. In 1975 Tombalbaye was murdered by his own army, and a military government headed by Félix Malloum emerged and continued the war against the insurgents. Following foreign interventions by Libya and France, the fracturing of the rebels into rival factions, and an escalation of the fighting, Malloum stepped down in March 1979. This paved the way for a new national government, known as "Transitional Government of National Unity" (GUNT).
French Navy helicopter and French paratroopers during a 1971 operation in Chad
Chadian notables in the 1960s. President François Tombalbaye undermined traditional local leaders, causing resentment that contributed to the civil war.
President François Tombalbaye with military officers during a parade in 1970
In 1979, N'Djamena (pictured in the 1960s) became the site of heavy fighting.
