Idriss Déby obituary: End of Chad's 'Great Survivor'

Idriss Déby, Chad's president for 30 years, has outlived his nickname "The Great Survivor".

The 68-year-old, who had just been re-elected for a sixth term, has been killed in clashes with advancing rebels, ending a career that has been defined by his military prowess.

A French-trained officer and pilot, he headed the army during the 1980s under the notorious regime of President Hissène Habré, before the two fell out.

He fled the country, ending up in Libya where he did a deal with Col Muammar Gaddafi - a Habré foe - who helped him launch his rebellion in return for information about CIA operations in Chad.

He and his rebels marched into the capital, N'Djamena, in December 1990 - but he has faced numerous challenges and many coup plots over the last three decades

In 2006, rebels were right outside his presidential palace lobbing grenades over the wall - and in 2008-2009 as other fighters advanced he dug a massive trench around the city and cut down all the huge trees lining the avenues to prevent them penetrating the city again.