OREANDA-NEWS. Chad and Russia "are in the same trench" in the fight against international terrorism. This was stated in an interview with RIA Novosti by the Minister for National Reconciliation and Dialogue of Chad, Ash-Sheikh Ibn Umar.

The minister said: "We are in the same trench with Russia, because we once suffered from the same enemy - extremist Islamist groups that targeted both Chad and Russia. We had some consensus in identifying the source of the danger, that threatens us all. "

Earlier, Chad Foreign Minister Mahamat Zan Sheriff told RIA Novosti that Chad is counting on Russian assistance in countering terrorism in Africa. The head of the Chadian Foreign Ministry also said that 90% of the armament of the country's army is Russian, including aircraft and heavy equipment, and hundreds of Chadian officers are being trained in Russian military universities.

For several years now, the Chadian army has been fighting the rebel group FACT, led by Mohamed Mahdi Ali, near the Libyan border. The authorities in N'Djamena call the members of the group criminals and people outside the law, refusing to negotiate with them.

The military in Chad, after the death of 68-year-old President Idris Deby, who had been in power since 1990, on April 20, announced the dissolution of parliament and government and the formation of a Transitional Military Council to govern the country. The council was headed by 37-year-old General Mahamat Idris Debi, the son of the deceased president. The military said that the transition period will last a year and a half, after which elections will be held.