Chadian security forces successfully thwarted a disorganized attack on the presidential compound in N’Djamena on Wednesday night. According to the government’s spokesperson, the assailants, a group of 24 intoxicated individuals armed with knives and machetes, drove to the compound, dismounted at its gate following a vehicle malfunction, killed one presidential guard, and injured two more. The group then advanced into the compound before a group of guards opened fire, killing 18 attackers and detaining six. Koulamallah dismissed the act as “completely incomprehensible” and stated that it was probably not a terrorist act. The situation is under control, with N’Djamena returning to normalcy by Thursday morning despite lingering military presence near the compound. However, Chad remains politically fragile under President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who assumed power in 2021 following the death of his father, longtime ruler Idriss Deby.
Source: Reuters