Sustained gunfire was reported near the presidential area in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, on Wednesday evening, according to AFP.
A security official said that armed individuals had assaulted the interior of the presidential premises, although there was no immediate response from the authorities.
Access to all roads leading to the presidency has been blocked, and tanks were observed on the streets of the capital, as reported by an AFP correspondent present at the location.
The gunfire broke out less than two weeks after the landlocked nation in northern Africa conducted a disputed general election, which the government claimed was a pivotal step toward ending military governance, but it was characterised by low voter turnout and allegations of fraud from the opposition.
The election occurred amid an ongoing assault by the terrorist group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad area, the termination of a military agreement with France, its former colonial power, and accusations against Chad for meddling in the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan.
Earlier on Tuesday, China’s foreign minister, Wang Li, held meetings with President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and other high-ranking officials.
Chad, the former French colony, was home to France’s last military bases in the Sahel region, but it ended its defence and security agreements with Paris at the end of November.
