19 killed as gunmen attack Chad presidential complex

Thursday, January 09, 2025 - At least 19 people have been killed after gunmen launched an attack on Chad’s presidential complex on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

An armed commando unit reportedly shot inside the presidential building around 7:45pm.

Abderaman Koulamallah, government spokesman and foreign minister, said the de@d include 18 of the assailants and one security agent.

“There were 18 de@d and six injured among the 24-strong commando unit that launched the assault, and we suffered one de@th and three injured, one of them seriously,” he said.

Koulamallah, who had a gun on his belt and was surrounded by soldiers, said “the situation is completely under control. The destabilisation attempt was put down”.

He said the attackers were suspected Boko Haram members but later said they were “probably not” terrorists.

He described them as drunken “Pieds Nickeles” — a reference to a French comic featuring hapless criminals.

Koulamallah said the armed assailants confronted four guards before entering the presidential complex, where they were “easily overpowered”, adding that the surviving attackers were “completely drugged”.

Chad is under military rule and faces regular attacks by Boko Haram, especially in the western Lake Chad region.

The country recently ended a military agreement with former colonial power France.