Security Operatives Foil Gunmen Attack Near Presidential Office
Security forces in Chad successfully foiled an attempt to destabilize the government, following reports of gunfire near the presidential office in the capital city, N’Djamena, on Wednesday evening.
Government spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah confirmed the incident in a video statement from the presidential headquarters.
“It was a little incident … everything is calm,” he said, emphasising that the situation was under control. “This whole attempt at destabilisation has been thwarted.”
Eyewitnesses reported bursts of gunfire in the area, prompting the military to seal off surrounding streets.
However, Koulamallah did not provide further details on the perpetrators or their motives.
Reuters reported that the events on Wednesday coincided with an official visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Chad.
Meanwhile, the visit came shortly after Chad ended a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with France, a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the Sahel region of West and Central Africa.
In the aftermath of the incident, Communications Minister Abderaman Koulamallah, with a handgun strapped to his hip, posed with soldiers armed with assault rifles and promised to release further details later.
A security source described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack.
“Individuals in three vehicles attacked the military camps near the president’s office, but the army neutralised them,” the source said, speaking anonymously.
Residents reported hearing loud gunfire in the area. “I’m stuck at Place de la Nation near the president’s office because of intense shooting and military vehicles arriving from all directions,” said Abbas Mahamout Seid, a motorcyclist caught in the chaos.
Chad is currently led by President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who took power in 2021 after rebels killed his father, longtime leader Idriss Deby, during a visit to troops fighting militias in the country’s north.
The elder Deby had ruled Chad since a coup in the early 1990s.
Despite its significant oil resources, Chad remains one of the poorest nations in Africa.
