Armed Men Storm Chad’s Presidential Palace, Leaving 20 Dead in Failed Attack
An attempted attack on Chad’s presidential palace left 20 people dead, including 18 armed attackers and two soldiers, according to the country’s national prosecutor. President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno was inside the palace during the incident, which occurred on Wednesday night.
The attackers, a 24-member commando unit armed with weapons, machetes, and knives, posed as having a car breakdown to approach the palace. They killed two guards and injured five others before being neutralized by the Presidential Guard, state prosecutor Oumar Kedelaye revealed.
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President Deby called the attack an effort to “crush” him, praising the guards for their bravery. “These malicious individuals were defeated by the vigilance and courage of the Presidential Guard,” Deby stated on Facebook.
Government spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah described the attackers as being from a poor neighborhood in southern N’Djamena, allegedly under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Security measures around the palace, including roadblocks and heavy gunfire, subsided by Thursday morning.
Speculations and Doubts
While the government has ruled out terrorism, some opposition voices, such as Max Kemkoye of the Political Actors’ Consultation Group, questioned the official narrative, calling it a “set up” by those in power.
The incident follows Chad’s recent general election, which was criticized for low turnout and alleged fraud. President Deby, who assumed power after the 2021 death of his father, was elected last May in a vote similarly disputed by the opposition.
Broader Context
Chad, which gained independence from France in 1960, continues to face internal and regional instability, including recurrent attacks by Boko Haram. The country recently cut military ties with France and is forging closer relations with Russia, which condemned the attack and expressed support for Chad’s leadership.
Armed Men Storm Chad’s Presidential Palace, Leaving 20 Dead in Failed Attack
