Chadian security forces foiled an attack on the presidential compound

A statement from the attorney general on Thursday said the presidential compound in Chad was the target of a daring night attack by two dozen gunmen, but quick action by security forces neutralized the threat. Despite the dramatic events, the details of the attack remain unclear.

On Wednesday evening in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, gunfire rang out as the military closed the streets around the presidential palace. The government later announced that it had successfully thwarted the attempt to destabilize the country, emphasizing that the situation was under control.

The attack came at a sensitive time for Chad, which recently ended a defense pact with France, a long-time Western ally in fighting Islamist militias in the Sahel region. For over a decade, the region has been struggling with insurgencies involving groups linked to the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram.

Neighboring countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have shifted away from Western alliances towards Russian military support, reflecting growing instability in the region.

According to the prosecutor, before launching the attack, 24 armed attackers approached the presidential palace under the pretext of a vehicle breakdown. Armed with knives and machetes, they killed two security guards and injured five others. Security forces responded with decisive force, killing 18 attackers and wounding six who were later hospitalized.

An investigation is underway to identify those responsible for the attack. In an earlier television interview, government spokesman Abderaman Koulallah described the attackers as intoxicated and disorganized. He suggested it was “probably not” a terrorist act, although speculation continues about potential links to jihadist groups, ethnic tensions or the fallout from the conflict in Sudan.

Life in N’Djamena returned to normal on Thursday morning and there were no further reports of shootings. However, military checkpoints continued to block access to areas near the presidency.

President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who took power after the death of his father, Idriss Deby, faces growing challenges. His father ruled Chad for decades after a coup in the early 1990s, presiding over a country with vast oil resources but persistent poverty.

Enrica Picco, a crisis expert at the International Crisis Group, noted the quick and decisive neutralization of the attackers, suggesting increased vigilance in the presidential palace. “Tensions are very high,” she said, adding that Deby faces numerous enemies who want to replace him or change Chad’s response to the ongoing crises.

As the investigation continues, questions remain about the motive and broader implications of this brazen attack on Chad’s leadership.

Melissa Enoch