SUMMARY
FPR (Popular Front for Reconstruction) was a Chadian, pro-Fulani rebel group established in 1998. It sought to overthrow the Chadian government regime under Idriss Deby in order to establish a democratic system with good governance and the equitable distribution of resources. In 2012, this objective broadened to also include overthrowing the Central African Republic’s government regime under President Francois Bozizé, which it viewed as collaborating with the Deby-led Chadian regime. This objective was motivated by the marginalization of the Fulani, which the FPR sought to address in order to protect the interests of the Fulani community. Therefore, it also desired the unification of all Fulani communities across state borders from Mauritania to the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this vein, it was also reported that the FPR sought to unite with the Touaregs, Polisario, AQIM and the Ogaden separatists such as ONLF. However, an earlier interview with the FPR leader had also denied any wish to unite with AQIM and other Islamists movements.
Although it carried out some activity in southern Chad, the FPR was mainly active in neighboring Central African Republic. Its stronghold was located within the northern Nana-Gribizi and Ouham prefectures of the Central African Republic with bases established near Kaga-Bandoro, Gondava, Ouandago and Kabo. In addition, the FPR held a rear base in Darfur, the western region of Sudan that borders Chad and the Central African Republic.
The FPR comprised at least 400 to 500 Chadian fighters and some fighters were also recruited from Central African Republic. One unconfirmed source reported that the group had 1 000 fighters but this had dropped to 100 by 2012. As expected from its goals, most FPR members were from the Fulani ethnic group. Its fighters were equipped with weaponry such as Kalashnikovs as well as bows with poisoned arrows.
"General" Omar Abdel Kader, also known by the alias Baba Laddé, was the leader of the FPR. He was a former non-commissioned officer for the Chadian gendarmerie, who deserted in order to found the FPR. In October 2009, Baba Laddé was expelled from the Central African Republic and then secretly imprisoned by the Government of Chad for ten months until he was able to escape. In September 2012, Baba Laddé negotiated his surrender in exchange for a position as advisor to the Chadian Prime Minister and many of FPR fighters returned with him to Chad, although others chose to remain in Central African Republic. However, Baba Laddé defected from the government in 2013; this marked a return to violence, during which the FPR attacked civilians until Baba Laddé was appointed the prefect of Grande Sido in southern Chad in July 2014 ( see FPR – Civilians. Nonetheless, by November, Baba Laddé had been dismissed and he fled to Central African Republic on 1 December. One month later, he was extradited and imprisoned by the Chadian authorities. Since January 2015, Baba Laddé has remained in prison.
Some FPR fighters abandoned the group to join Seleka in December 2012. Many of them were under the command of Ali Darassa, who was reported to have been Baba Laddé’s right-hand man.
