On Wednesday evening, 8th January, 24 gunmen launched an attack on the presidential complex in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, resulting in the deaths of 19 people, including 18 attackers and one member of the presidential guard.
The attack, which left several injured, unfolded around 7:45 pm local time when armed men stormed the presidential premises. One guard remains in critical condition.
Chad’s security forces responded swiftly, overpowering the attackers. In the aftermath, roads leading to the complex were blocked, and tanks were deployed in the streets.
Civilians fled the area, and police set up checkpoints across the city centre. According to government spokesperson and Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah, the situation is now “completely under control.” He reassured citizens in a video flanked by soldiers that the attempt to destabilise the country had been thwarted.
This attack comes shortly after a controversial general election held less than two weeks ago. While the government hailed the elections as a step towards civilian rule, opposition groups accused the authorities of widespread fraud and voter suppression.
Chad, a landlocked country in northern Africa, remains under military rule and faces frequent attacks from the jihadist group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region.
The country recently ended a military accord with its former colonial power, France, and has faced accusations of meddling in the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan.
