REVISES HEADLINE, ADDS STATEMENT FROM ARMY, CHANGES LEDE
By Efe Ozkan, Oumar Sankare
ISTANBUL/BAMAKO, Mali (AA) – Chad’s armed forces said Wednesday that the situation was “under control” following a heavy exchange of gunfire near the presidential palace in the capital N'Djamena.
Heavy gunfire was reported in and around the palace, which continued for around 30 minutes, local sources said.
But officials at the General Staff of the Chadian Armed Forces told the Alwihda Info news website that the situation was now under control.
The source of the gunfire remains unknown.
Unconfirmed reports said members of the Boko Haram terrorist group were involved in the attack and that several of them had been neutralized.
A statement by the government said that “an attempt at destabilization has been eradicated."
"In videos filmed and broadcast by soldiers of the presidential guard shortly after the clashes, we see numerous bodies of attackers eliminated within the grounds of the Presidential Palace," it added.
Separately, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited N'Djamena early Wednesday, where he met with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno as well as Prime Minister Allamaye Halina.