Blitz Bureau
N’DJAMENA: The Chad Government said security forces had thwarted an alleged effort to destabilise the country on January 8 night, after a group of people attacked the presidential palace in the capital, N’Djamena, reports BBC News.
“An attempt at destabilisation has been foiled. Nineteen people died and six were injured, including 18 assailants and one soldier,” Foreign Minister AbderamanKoulamallah told state TV.
He added that 24 individuals armed with knives, rather than guns, had attacked the guards around the presidential palace. As per the BBC report, earlier, sources close to the Government had said clashes had occurred between security forces and “terrorist elements”. But Koulamallah described the attack as a “disordered and incomprehensible attempt” carried out by people who were intoxicated.
“They stabbed four guards, killing one and seriously injuring two others. A fourth guard was also injured, but his life is not in danger,” the minister added.
He said that the attackers managed to penetrate a short distance into the premises of the presidency before being neutralised by security forces. “I arrived on the scene shortly after the shooting, and I was impressed by the military deployment. We have a very good army, and the Chadians can sleep soundly. Our country is well guarded,” he said.
Six people have been arrested in connection with the attack but the minister did not give any specific information about those who had carried out the assault saying that there now needed to be an investigation. Following the incident, tanks were seen in the area and all roads leading to the palace were closed, the AFP news agency reported.
Chad is a landlocked country in northern-central Africa which, since gaining independence from France in 1960, has seen frequent periods of instability and fighting, most recently between Government forces and those of Islamist group Boko Haram. It is led by President MahamatDéby, who was installed by the military in 2021 after his father, IdrissDéby, was killed in a battle with rebel forces after 30 years in power.
