An opposition leader in Chad has been killed during a shootout with security forces, officials say.

Yaya Dillo's death comes after the government blamed him for a deadly attack on the country's security agency. He denied the accusation.

On Wednesday, heavy gunfire was heard near his party's headquarters in the capital, N'Djamena.

Mr Dillo is a vocal opponent of his cousin, President Mahamat Déby, who has been in power since 2021.

Mr Déby succeeded his father who was killed by rebels after three decades in power.

The unrest in the Central African country follows the announcement that presidential elections will be held on 6 May.

These elections are intended to return the country to constitutional rule.

Communications Minister Abderaman Koulamallah told the AFP news agency that Mr Dillo had died on Wednesday "where he had retreated, at the headquarters of his party. He didn't want to surrender and fired on law enforcement".

On Wednesday, Mr Dillo said the accusation he was behind the attack on the National Security Agency (ANSE) headquarters was intended "to make me afraid so that I don't go to the election".

One of Mr Dillo's colleagues, the general secretary of his Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF), told Reuters news agency that PSF members had come under attack from soldiers outside the ANSE building while trying to retrieve the body of their colleague Ahmed Torabi.

The PSF official said Mr Torabi was arrested and shot dead on Tuesday, before his body was dumped outside the ANSE building.

According to the government, Mr Torabi had attempted to assassinate the president of the Supreme Court.

Relatives and party members who tried to get to his body were shot at on Wednesday morning, resulting in multiple fatalities, the general secretary said.