Gunmen attempted to storm the presidential complex in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, on Wednesday, leading to a fierce battle that resulted in 19 deaths, including 18 attackers and one security personnel, according to the government.
Gunfire was heard near the site, and tanks were seen on the streets, with security sources confirming that armed men tried to overrun the complex.
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“There were 18 dead and six injured” among the attackers, “and we suffered one death and three injured, one of them seriously,” said government spokesman and Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah.
Hours after the attack, Koulamallah appeared in a video posted to Facebook, surrounded by soldiers and carrying a gun on his belt. He declared, “The situation is completely under control… the destabilisation attempt was put down.”
The attackers, initially believed to be members of the Boko Haram jihadist group, were later described by Koulamallah as “probably not” terrorists. He referred to them as “Pieds Nickeles,” a term from a French comic depicting hapless crooks. He added that the attackers, who had attacked four guards before entering the complex, were “completely drugged” and were easily overpowered by the presidential guard.
Chad, a landlocked country under military rule, frequently faces attacks by Boko Haram, particularly in the western Lake Chad region, which borders Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger. The country recently ended a military agreement with France and has faced accusations of interference in the ongoing Sudanese conflict.
A security source reported that an armed commando unit opened fire inside the presidency at around 7:45 pm local time on Wednesday. The presidential guard swiftly overpowered the assailants. The area surrounding the presidency was sealed off, and tanks were stationed on the streets, while armed police patrolled key points in the district. Civilians fled the area, using cars and motorcycles.
Earlier in the day, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had met with President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and other senior officials, and Deby was at the complex during the attack, Koulamallah confirmed.
The attack came just days after Chad held a controversial general election. Despite government claims that the election was a significant step towards ending military rule, opposition parties alleged fraud and low voter turnout. Deby’s rise to power followed the death of his father, who ruled Chad for over three decades with an authoritarian grip.
The country’s military rule has led to significant political shifts, including reshuffling the army, traditionally dominated by the Zaghawa and Gorane ethnic groups. On the diplomatic front, Deby has sought new strategic partnerships, including with Russia and Hungary, while ending defense and security agreements with former colonial power France.
