On Thursday, January 9th, the African country of Chad announced that its military had thwarted an armed attack on the presidential palace, resulting in the deaths of 19 people. The announcement came just hours after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his visit to the country.
This incident occurred as part of Wang Yi’s visit to four African nations. On Thursday, he met with Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Deby and other senior officials, although he had already left the presidential palace by the time of the attack.
China is currently Chad’s largest trading and investment partner. Maintaining cooperation with these conflict-prone African countries is part of the Chinese Communist Party’s global strategy, but it also comes with significant risks and challenges.
According to Chad’s security forces, they successfully repelled an attempt by armed individuals to attack the presidential palace in the capital city of N’Djamena, resulting in at least 19 deaths.
Official reports stated that around 8 p.m. local time, a group of 24 armed individuals launched the assault, leading to a one-hour-long conflict. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 18 armed individuals and one member of the security forces killed in the gunfire exchange.
Since assuming power in 2021, President Deby has gradually shifted policies, distancing itself from former Western allies and strengthening cooperation with China (CCP), Russia, and other countries. His father, Idriss Deby, who served as president for a long time, died in 2021 during clashes with rebel forces.
Chad was once a French colony with abundant oil resources but remains one of the poorest countries in Africa. Additionally, Chad hosts one of the few remaining French military bases in the Sahel region.
In November 2024, Chad announced the termination of its defense and security agreements with France, citing them as outdated.
According to Agence France-Presse, a security source revealed that the attackers were members of the Boko Haram armed group.
However, Chad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and government spokesperson, Abderaman Koulamallah, stated that the attackers “might not be” rebels.
Reuters reported that a security source within the security forces stated that the incident was likely an “unsuccessful terrorist attack.”
The source mentioned, “The individuals in three vehicles attacked the military camp around the presidential office but were subdued by the military.”
Local residents reported hearing intense gunfire during the attack.
The timing of this incident is less than two weeks after a controversial election in Chad. The government claims the election is a crucial step in ending military rule, but voter turnout was low, and the opposition has accused the election of irregularities.