N’Djamena, Chad – Chad’s capital city is still smarting after deadly gun battles erupted on Wednesday night between security forces and more than a dozen armed fighters who brazenly stormed the presidential palace. At least 19 people were killed.Businesses and schools opened as usual on Thursday, and most people went to work, but there was a more heightened security presence on the streets of N’Djamena – a city already teeming with soldiers. Military tanks dotted the city centre, and roads leading to the palace complex were closed.
The assault comes weeks after controversial parliamentary elections, in which opposition parties boycotted the vote. They accused President Mahamat Idriss Deby’s military-turned-civilian government of trying to legitimise his rule.
The attack also followed Chad’s surprising expulsion of hundreds of French troops in December. France, a former colonial power and a close ally, has operated military bases in the country for decades.
Conflicting reports about who Wednesday’s assailants might be are floating around on social media, adding to the confusion as government officials attempt to make light of the threat. Here’s what we know: Advertisement
What happened?
A group of 24 heavily armed men attacked the president’s office at around 8:45pm (19:45 GMT) on Wednesday, government spokesman and Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said, speaking on Chad state TV.
The men were armed with knives, not guns, he said. At least 18 of the attackers were killed in the ensuing gun battle, while one member of the Chadian security force also died. Three other security officials were injured, the minister added, two of them seriously.
Videos of the aftermath of the shooting showed bloodied bodies on the floor, close to a white pickup truck. Koulamallah said the attackers w …
