Chad says over 60 followers of "holy man" killed
N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - Chad's security forces have killed more than 60 followers of a Muslim spiritual leader who had threatened to launch a holy war in the African country in defence of the Islamic faith, the government said.
Government soldiers fought with the disciples of the "marabout" or holy man, Ahmat Ismael Bichara, who were armed with swords, spears and bows, after surrounding his base on Sunday at Kouno, 300 km (185 miles) southeast of N'Djamena.
"I'm sorry to say that there were 66 dead and 51 seriously wounded (among the followers of the marabout)," Security Minister Ahmat Mahamat Bachir told journalists in the capital N'Djamena. He corrected a previous toll he gave of 63 dead.
Bachir added that four members of the Chadian security forces were killed and six wounded in the fighting on Sunday and Monday at Kouno.
Chad's government had said on Tuesday that 12 of Bichara's followers and two members of the security forces had initially been killed in Sunday's operation.
"It's a regrettable toll, but we think we now control the situation caused by the actions carried out by these terrorists, these extremists," Bachir said.
The Muslim holy man had declared he wanted to fight against corruption of the Islamic faith and restore justice in Chad.
Landlocked oil producer Chad is a lay state, but just over half of its population are Muslims.
The largely arid, racially mixed country has suffered waves of violence over the last few years, including inter-ethnic clashes, raids over the eastern border from Sudan by Janjaweed militia, and successive attacks by anti-government rebels.
(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: africa.reuters.com/)
(Reporting by Moumine Ngarmbassa, Writing by Pascal Fletcher, editing by Mary Gabriel)
