The Chadian Army says a military council led by the late President’s 37-year-old son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, would replace him and take over as the new leader of the country.
He is a four-star general.
Upon his take over, General Mahamat dissolved the government and the National Assembly.
Chad’s President Idriss Deby dies of injuries suffered on the frontline in the Sahel Country’s north, where he had gone to visit soldiers battling rebels, an army spokesman said on Tuesday.
He said Deby, 68, breathed his last defending the sovereign nation on the battlefield over the weekend.
His death came hours after he had been declared the winner of an election that would have given him another six years in power.
The late President ruled Chad for more than 30 years and became an important ally to Western nations in the fight against Islamic extremism in Africa.
Deby postponed his victory speech to supporters and instead went to visit Chadian soldiers battling rebels, according to his campaign manager.
The rebel group Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), which is based across the northern frontier with Libya, attacked a border post in the provinces of Tibesti and Kanem on election day and then advanced hundreds of kilometres south. But it suffered a setback over the weekend.
Chad’s military spokesman Agouna told the Reuters news agency that army troops killed more than 300 fighters and captured 150 on Saturday in Kanem province, around 300 kilometres (185 miles) from the capital Ndjamena.
Meanwhile Chad has imposed curfew and shuts borders after the death of President Deby.
Déby was one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders after becoming president of Chad through charter 1991.
Deby’s son, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno is expected to lead the council but “free and democratic” elections will be held once the transition period is over, the army said on Tuesday.