Military says that Chad’s president killed on battlefield

N’DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — A top military commander says that Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno has been killed on the battlefield in a fight against rebels. He has died after more than three decades in power. The stunning announcement on national television and radio came just hours after election officials had declared him the winner of the April 11 vote, paving the way for him to stay in power for six more years. The circumstances of Deby’s death could not immediately be independently confirmed due to the remote location. It was not known why the president would have visited the area or participated in ongoing clashes with the rebels who opposed his rule.