One person has died after a fire blast at a military ammunition depot in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, on Tuesday night. Foreign Affairs Minister Koulamallah Abderaman confirmed the incident, adding that many people were wounded. A resident near the depot saw three injured people on the street, two of whom were hurried to the hospital on a motorcycle
On social media, some residents shared images of spent artillery shells that fell in their homes. Another resident reported that his neighbour, a shopkeeper, was killed after a shell hit him.
A resident, Moustapha Adoum Mahamat told Reuters: “Loud blasts woke us up…Our house was shaking as if someone were shooting at us. Then we saw a big fire at the military camp with smoke and things exploding in the air,” he said. “We could see artillery flying over us.”
The blast, followed by explosions, was heard for about an hour, with smoke spreading around the town. The fire broke out a few kilometres from Chad’s main international airport, which authorities said was not affected.
Chad is currently led by President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, who was declared the winner of the May 6 election with 61 percent of the vote. However, Election Observers criticised the election, stating it lacked credibility and freedom. Itno became transitional president in April 2021 following the demise of his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had led Chad for 30 years and was murdered by insurgents. The transition was managed by a junta comprising 15 generals.