Gunfire broke out near the presidential compound in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, on Wednesday evening, triggering panic and a heavy security deployment.
According to AFP reporters on the scene, tanks were deployed, and armed police were stationed at several points in the city centre, blocking all roads leading to the presidency.
A security source who spoke with the platform disclosed that armed men had breached the interior of the presidential compound.
However, no official statement has been issued by the Chadian authorities at the time of filing this report.
The chaos unfolded less than two weeks after Chad conducted a general election that was marred by low voter turnout and allegations of fraud by opposition parties.
The government had touted the election as a significant step toward transitioning from military rule to civilian governance.
Witnesses reported civilians fleeing the city center on motorcycles and in cars as gunfire echoed through the streets.
This development adds to an already tense atmosphere in Chad, which has been grappling with numerous challenges, including recurring Boko Haram attacks in the Lake Chad region, accusations of interference in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, and the ending of a military accord with former colonial power France.
Interestingly, the attack came just hours after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and other senior officials in N’Djamena, further heightening the intrigue surrounding the incident.
