5 Countries Ruled by Military Dictators in 2023

3. Chad

Ruled by the Military since: April 2021

Chad is one of the most unstable countries in the world, and has a history of being led by military dictatorships. In 1987, President Hissène Habré, who was believed to be backed by the United States, was overthrown in a coup by General Idriss Déby, who then went on to run the country for 30 years between 1991 and 2021 by securing allegedly fraudulent electoral victories during his reign.

Déby was killed by Chadian rebels in 2021, after which his son, Gen. Mahamat Idriss Déby, a serving four-star military officer, has led the country as the head of the transitional government of Chad.