N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, regained normalcy on Thursday following a deadly attack on the presidential palace the night before. The assault, which occurred at around 8:00 pm local time, left 19 people dead, including 18 attackers and one member of the presidential guard.
According to government spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah, a 24-member group armed with weapons, machetes, and knives attacked the palace guards but were swiftly repelled. Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno was reportedly inside the palace during the attack but was unharmed.
Koulamallah described the assailants as a disorganized group from a poor neighborhood, referring to them as “hapless crooks.” He added that the situation was “completely under control,” dismissing the assault as an attempted destabilization.
Despite these assurances, opposition leaders expressed skepticism, labeling the incident a possible “setup” by the government. The attack has raised concerns about ongoing security challenges in the military-ruled central African nation.
Further updates are expected from Chadian officials later in the day.
