Chad is pushing for the return of three Central African rebel leaders to Bangui, with the leaders of three armed groups preparing to return to the Central African Republic in November, Africa Intelligence reported.
Among them is Mahamat al-Khatim, leader of the Mouvement Patriotique pour la Centrafrique (MPC), who has been based in Chad. According to Africa Intelligence, al-Khatim hopes to secure representation in the Central African government after his return.
The move follows a series of Chad-mediated agreements aimed at bringing armed groups back into the Central African peace process. N’Djamena has played a central role in talks between Bangui and several rebel movements, giving Chad significant influence over efforts to reintegrate former insurgents into the country’s political and security framework.
In April 2025, the Central African government signed agreements in N’Djamena with the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), led by Ali Darassa, and Retour, Réclamation et Réhabilitation (3R), led by Sembé Bobbo. Both groups agreed to rejoin the peace process.
The government and the MPC reached a separate agreement in N’Djamena in November 2025. The deal formalized the group’s return to the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic and included commitments to end hostilities and participate in disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration. MINUSCA is supporting implementation of the agreements.
Al-Khatim’s return has taken longer. The MPC leader had previously been involved in the peace process before falling back out of it, and remained in Chad after the November agreement. His possible return now comes as Bangui seeks to consolidate arrangements with armed groups that have agreed to lay down their weapons.
The latest move also highlights Chad’s growing role in the Central African peace process. N’Djamena has provided a venue for negotiations and helped broker agreements with several of the country’s armed movements, while the Central African government remains responsible for implementing the political and security arrangements inside the country.
The return of the three leaders could test whether those agreements can move beyond negotiations and translate into a more sustained reintegration of armed groups into the Central African political system.
