By Brian Okoth
The government of Chad says the situation at the presidential palace in the country's capital N'Djamena is "under control" after heavy gunfire was reported there late on Wednesday.
Chad's government spokesperson, Abderaman Koulamallah, said he was present at the palace, and assured citizens that there was no cause for alarm, while the country's infrastructure minister said there should be "no panic."
Koulamallah added in a video message on Facebook that "calm" had been restored after a "destabilisation attempt" which was swiftly "wiped out."
Military tanks and a heavy security presence were seen on the streets of N'Djamena following heavy gunfire near the presidential villa.
Roads blocked
AFP, quoting security sources, reported on Wednesday that an armed commando opened fire inside the presidential compound at 7:45pm (1845 GMT), but they were overpowered by the president's guards.
Authorities, however, did not make a comment immediately the said-attack occurred.
AFP further reported that all roads leading to the presidency had been blocked by security officers, as armed police officers kept guard.
The gunfire comes less than two weeks after the Sahel nation held parliamentary, local and regional elections on December 29.
China's top diplomat meets President Mahamat Deby
The elections, which registered a low turnout, were boycotted by the opposition, who termed it a "sham", aimed at entrenching the ruling party's power.
Approximately eight million voters were registered to elect 188 legislators for a new National Assembly, as well as representatives at provincial and municipal levels.
Chad, an oil-exporting nation of 18 million people, held its presidential election on May 6, 2024, and General Mahamat Deby — who had served as the country's transitional president since the death of his father Idriss Deby in April 2021 — was declared the winner.
The Wednesday gunfire in N'Djamena came several hours after President Mahamat Deby, 40, met China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on African tour.
Strained relations with France
Chad is among African countries that have, of late, had strained relations with former colonial ruler France.
On January 6, Chad called out French President Emmanuel Macron over remarks he made about Africa earlier that day.
President Macron, whose country faces increasing pushback in Africa, said that African leaders had "forgotten to say thank you" to France for "helping to combat militant insurgencies in the Sahel region."
Macron made the remarks to French ambassadors during the country's annual conference on foreign policy in Paris.
'Contemptuous attitude'
African nations, however, say French troops have failed to help in the fight against militant insurgencies, and had instead resorted to protecting French interests, including companies operating on the continent.
Chad's Foreign Affairs Minister Abderaman Koulamallah, who is also the government spokesperson, said that Macron was showing arrogance.
Koulamallah said in a statement read on state television on Monday: "The government of Chad expresses its deep concern following the remarks made recently by the president of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, which reflect a contemptuous attitude towards Africa and Africans."
The Chadian top diplomat further said he had "no problem" with France but that French leaders "had to learn to respect Africans."
French troops expelled from 70% of African territory
In late November 2024, Chad, which hosted France's last military bases in the Sahel region, ended security agreements with Paris, terming them "obsolete."
Approximately 1,000 French soldiers had been stationed in Chad. Their withdrawal from the African nation is ongoing.
Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali are the other countries that have pushed out French soldiers from their territories, while Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire have issued ultimatums for the foreign troops to leave.
French soldiers have now been ejected from over 70% of African countries, with their presence remaining only in Djibouti and Gabon, where there is a total contingent of less than 2,000 military personnel.
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