Chad thwarts armed attack on Presidential Palace, 18 attackers killed

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, an armed attack on the presidential palace in the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, resulted in deaths and injuries, the Chadian government announced.

According to a government statement, a group of 24 armed assailants launched the attack, leaving 18 attackers dead and six injured among them, along with the death of one presidential guard and injuries to three others, one of whom is in critical condition, AFP reported.

Chad's Foreign Minister and Government Spokesperson, Abderaman Koulamallah, stated that security forces fully thwarted the attack and restored order.

Security forces deployed heavily around the presidential palace, blocking access roads with tanks and stationing armed personnel at key intersections.

Initially, rumors circulated that the attackers were members of Boko Haram, however, Koulamallah later denied this, saying the attack was “unlikely to be terrorism.”

The attackers reportedly dismounted from a trailer truck in front of the palace, stabbing four guards stationed outside. Then, the attackers entered the palace grounds, where they were “easily overpowered”, Chad’s FM said.

Contrary to earlier reports that the assailants were heavily armed, Koulamallah clarified that “they had no military-grade weapons.”

Reassuring the population, which is familiar with coups, insurgencies, and jihadist attacks, he stressed that “there is currently no threat to the country or its institutions.”

Authorities have urged residents to remain calm, though anxiety was evident in neighborhoods near the presidential palace, where residents rushed home amid a heavy security presence.

He also confirmed that President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno was inside the palace at the time of the attack but did not provide further details.

The incident occurred amid heightened security tensions in Chad following the government's November 2023 decision to terminate military agreements with France, which had been a key pillar of the country's security and military cooperation for 60 years.

Last month, French fighter jets left Chad, marking the end of decades-long military collaboration.

In October 2023, a Boko Haram attack on a military base in the Lake Chad region killed 15 Chadian officers. President Déby responded by personally leading a large-scale military operation against the terrorists, signaling the government's determination to address mounting security threats.