Calm returned to N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, on Thursday morning following an overnight assault on the presidential palace that left 19 people dead, most of whom were identified as attackers, according to government officials.
Security measures, including roadblocks and checkpoints set up late Wednesday near the presidential compound, had been removed by Thursday. Normal traffic resumed in the area, as reported by AFP journalists.
The assault unfolded around 8:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) on Wednesday, with heavy gunfire erupting near the presidential residence in the city centre. The incident disrupted the otherwise quiet capital of the central African nation, governed by military leadership.
Government spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah disclosed that a group of 24 armed individuals attempted to breach the presidential palace’s defences. They were armed with “weapons, machetes, and knives” but were quickly neutralised by security forces.
According to Koulamallah, the attackers wore civilian clothing and were from a poor district in the southern part of the city. He described the group as uncoordinated and referred to them as “Pieds Nickelés,” a term borrowed from a French comic about bungling criminals.
The clash resulted in the deaths of 18 attackers, while six others sustained injuries. On the government side, one palace guard was killed, and three others were wounded, Koulamallah confirmed.
In a video released hours after the attack, Koulamallah appeared flanked by soldiers, visibly armed, and reassured the public: “The situation is completely under control… The destabilisation attempt was put down.”
Koulamallah, who also holds the position of foreign minister, said President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno was inside the palace when the assault occurred. However, he did not provide additional details regarding the president’s safety or response.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders have questioned the government’s account, expressing doubts about the authenticity of the events described.
Max Kemkoye, a representative of the Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP), suggested on Thursday that the incident might have been fabricated. He described it as a “set-up” orchestrated by those in power to serve their own agenda.
Koulamallah announced plans to address accredited diplomats later in the day regarding the attack. Additionally, the public prosecutor is expected to issue a formal statement on the matter.
