Troops have been deployed and internet services cut off in Chad’s capital amidst violent clashes, with security forces surrounding the headquarters of the Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF) following an attack on the country’s internal security agency.
The turmoil in N’Djamena unfolded as Chad prepares for a presidential election scheduled for May and June, signaling a potential return to constitutional governance after three years of military-backed rule.
Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris, reporting from Abuja in neighboring Nigeria, described the situation in N’Djamena as fluid, with ongoing security operations and the PSF headquarters under siege. He mentioned that security forces are visible on the capital’s streets, and communication lines have been disrupted across much of the country.
Earlier reports indicated heavy gunfire near the city center, close to the presidential palace and the PSF’s headquarters, confining residents to their locations.
The government of Chad released a statement attributing an overnight attack on the National State Security Agency (ANSE) to activists from the PSF. The statement declared the situation under control, with the perpetrators either apprehended or being pursued for legal action.
While the government did not specify the number of casualties from the ANSE attack, it did report a separate incident involving an assassination attempt by PSF member Ahmed Torabi on the president of the Supreme Court, Samir Adam Annour.
