Residents of N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, reported numerous shots fired near the presidential palace. At the same time, the country's foreign minister said that soldiers were protecting the president and that the situation was fully under control.
Writes UNN with reference to AP News.
Details
According to Zakaria Daoud, a local resident who lives nearby, the shooting lasted several minutes in the area of the presidential complex.
These events have raised security concerns in a country located in a region where military coups are quite common.
It is not yet known where the shots came from. The videos, which were likely filmed in the vicinity, show military vehicles and armed soldiers on the streets and within the presidential palace.
Foreign Minister Abdraman Kulamallah said in a live broadcast on Facebook that the situation was completely under control. He recorded the address from the presidential palace, accompanied by the military. He added that they were there to protect the president.
The shooting took place about a week after the parliamentary elections, which were supposed to help restore democracy in the country. However, the main opposition boycotted the elections. The results have not yet been announced, but analysts suggest that the vote will strengthen the power of President Mahamat Déby Itno.
Mahamat Deby Itno came to power as a military ruler after the death of his father in 2021. Itno's father, who had ruled the country for three decades, was killed in a battle with rebels. Last year, Itno Jr. won the presidential election, which international observers recognized as not meeting democratic standards.
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