Security forces in Chad thwarted an attack on the presidential compound in N’Djamena on Wednesday, reportedly carried out by a disorganised group of intoxicated individuals wielding knives and machetes, according to the government.
Gunfire erupted near President Mahamat Idriss Deby’s office as the military sealed off nearby streets. Later, officials declared the situation under control, describing the assailants as a group of 24 men seemingly under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
“They arrived in one or two vehicles, which broke down at the entrance to the presidency,” government spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah said on national television. The attackers stabbed four guards at the entrance, killing one and injuring two others before proceeding a short distance inside.
Presidential guards quickly responded, opening fire and killing 18 of the attackers, while six were captured. Koulamallah dismissed the notion of a terrorist plot, describing the attempt as “disorganised and incomprehensible.”
Authorities promised further details from the public prosecutor but noted that the group originated from a neighborhood in N’Djamena that was not named.
By Thursday morning, calm had returned to the capital, though military checkpoints remained around the presidency.
President Mahamat Idriss Deby has led Chad since 2021, taking power after the death of his father, President Idriss Deby, who was killed while leading troops in the north. Despite Chad’s oil wealth, the nation remains one of Africa’s poorest and has faced political and security challenges.
Recently, Mahamat Deby terminated a defense pact with France, a move that shifts Chad’s role in the Sahel region, which has seen a surge in coups and militant activity.
