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| - Foreign leaders paid homage Tuesday to Chad's late president Idriss Deby Itno, a key Western ally in the fight against jihadists in the Sahel region. Here are some reactions following Deby's shock death, which the army said came after he was wounded in fighting against rebels last weekend. The US State Department issued a statement offering condolences to the people of Chad and condemning the "recent violence and loss of life" in the country. "The United States stands with the people of Chad during this difficult time. We support a peaceful transition of power in accordance with the Chadian constitution," said the statement from State Department spokesman Ned Price. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement he was "deeply saddened" to learn of Deby's death, describing him as a "key partner... particularly as part of efforts to combat terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime in the Sahel". "Chad is losing a great soldier and a president who has worked tirelessly for the security of the country and the stability of the region for three decades," the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said in statement, hailing Deby as a "courageous friend" of France, Chad's former colonial ruler. The statement also emphasised France's insistence on the "stability and territorial integrity" of Chad as it faces a push by rebel forces toward its capital, N'Djamena. After a new transitional military council led by one of Deby's sons pledged to hold elections in 18 months, French Foreign Minister Le Drian warned that the delay should be "limited". The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell agreed, saying the "announced transition must be limited, take place in a peaceful manner, with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and allow for the organisation of new inclusive elections." Chad has lost a "historic political figure whose efforts for regional security, in particular in the fight against terrorism, have been solid and lasting," Borrell said in a statement. The EU "calls on all sides to exercise retraint and underlines the importance of a rapid return to constitional order," the statement added. President Muhammadu Buhari called Deby's death "sudden and tragic", saying he was "deeply shocked and devastated". "Deby had played a very active role in our regional joint collaboration in the military campaign against the Boko Haram terrorists," Buhari said in a statement. "The death of Deby will surely create a big vacuum in the efforts to jointly confront the Boko Haram terrorists and the Islamic State West Africa Province." The head of the African Union Moussa Faki Mahamat, a former Chadian prime minister, said he learned of Deby's "with great dismay and deep emotion". He called Deby a "great statesman and recognised military leader. I extend my sincere condolences to the Chadian people and his family." In neighbouring Mali, also in the throes of a transitional military rule, interim President Bah Ndaw voiced "deep sadness" over the news of Deby's "brutal death". He called it a "heavy loss" not only for Chad but for the Sahel region and beyond in Africa, where the two countries have been allies against the bourgeoning jihadist threat. Senegal's President Macky Sall said Deby's death was "sad news". "I salute his memory and pay tribute to his contribution to the stabilisation of the Sahel," he tweeted. Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum hailed Deby's "personal engagement in the fight against terrorism and for stabilising the Sahel-Sahara region". In a statement he also reassured the Chadian people of Niger's "commitment to work together with them for the peace and stability of the G5 Sahel States and the States bordering Lake Chad". President Roch Marc Christian Kabore sent his condolences to Deby's family and the people of Chad. "I salute the memory of a great Pan-Africanist, a brother, who was committed with conviction and determination in the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad basin and in the Sahel," he said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed his condolences on Twitter, praising Deby's "bold leadership and... his historic decision to renew Chad's relationship with Israel". Algeria's foreign ministry said in a statement that it "calls on all the sons of Chad to show a sense of responsibility and to favour dialogue, the only way to allow them to traverse through the current difficulties and preserve peace and stability in the country". burs-dl/
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