Thousands mourn Chad's Deby, rebels say their command hit by air strike

Chad's first lady and widow of the late Chadian President Idriss Deby, Hinda Deby Itno (2ndR) sits in the front row, attending the state funeral for her husband in N'Djamena, Chad April 23, 2021. Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool via REUTERS

N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - Thousands of people gathered in Chad's capital N'Djamena on Friday for the state funeral of President Idriss Deby, whose death while leading his troops against a rebel offensive has thrown the country into crisis.

Mourners included President Emmanuel Macron of France, which counted on the long-ruling strongman as a lynchpin in the war against Islamist militants, and a host of African presidents and prime ministers.