In Chad, an attack on the presidential palace in N’Djamena leaves 19 dead, the situation is “under control”, according to the government

The Chadian government assured Wednesday evening that the situation is “under control” after gunshots rang out in N’Djamena.

In Chad, the presidential palace in N’Djamena was the target of an attack on the evening of Wednesday, January 8, which left 19 dead, the government announced. A heavily armed commando of 24 people is behind this operation, according to Abderaman Koulamallah, spokesperson for the Chadian government and Minister of Foreign Affairs. “There were 18 dead and 6 injured” on the side of the attackers, he told AFP. “We deplore one death, three injured, one seriously”he added.

Heavy gunfire was heard from 7:45 p.m. (local time, identical to that of Paris) in the capital, near the presidency, noted AFP journalists, as well as residents contacted by the Reuters agency and the newspaper Young Africa. According to several security sources, an armed commando attacked the interior of the presidential palace before being overpowered by the presidential guard.

Lhe Chadian Minister of Foreign Affairs and government spokesperson, Abderaman Koulamallah, assured, in a video published in the evening on Facebook, that the situation was “under control” After “a small incident”. The minister, who spoke with his gun in his belt and surrounded by soldiers from the presidential palace, did not give further details on the perpetrators and the nature of the attack, in his message intended to reassure the population.

These shots took place a few hours after the visit to N’Djamena of the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, who had several meetings with Chadian leaders, including one at the presidency with the head of state Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno .