Chad presidential compound attack repelled by state forces News
Bagassi Koura (VOA), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Chad presidential compound attack repelled by state forces

A group of people attacked the presidential palace in the capital of Chad on Wednesday in an alleged attempt to destabilize the country. Chad’s foreign minister and government spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah reported the attack, which killed 19 people, including 18 attackers and one soldier.

Appearing in a video on Facebook hours after the attack Kulamalla, surrounded by military men, reported that 24 knife-wielding attackers entered the secure area of the presidential palace before security forces managed to neutralize them. The minister described the attack as a chaotic and incomprehensible attempt carried by intoxicated people. Six people were arrested as a result of the incident, but no concrete information has been disclosed yet about the possible organizers or motives behind the attack, as the investigation continues.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported the blocking of all roads leading to the presidential building, as well as armed police spotted in several places in the area as citizens fled the city center in various vehicles.

The attack took place several hours after Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi’s visit to Chad. The Chinese representative, president, minister of foreign affairs and other senior Chadian officials met with the aim to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries by strengthening both diplomatic and economic cooperation.

Chad is a landlocked country in north-central Africa, the previous French colony that gained independence in 1960. The country witnessed frequent periods of instability and fighting and is now led by President Mahamat Déby, who took office in 2021 following the death of his father, Idriss Déby, in combat against rebel forces after three decades of leadership. It ended its defence co-operation agreement with France in November 2024, through which France provided logistical and intelligence support to Chad’s army.

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