Chad: several dead after explosions in an ammunition depot

Explosions and fires at a military munitions depot in Chad's capital have caused deaths and triggered frantic efforts to put out the fire and treat the injured, authorities and witnesses said Wednesday.

The explosions that occurred late Tuesday in the N'Djamena depot lit up the sky as thick smoke covered the clouds in this West African country.

The fire “caused human and material damage ,” President Mahamat Deby Itno posted on Facebook . “Peace to the souls of the victims, sincere condolences to the bereaved families and speedy recovery to the injured” . He did not specify the number of victims.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear and the president said an investigation would be carried out. Residents in the area panicked, thinking the explosion was an armed attack , said resident Oumar Mahamat.

The situation was then brought under control thanks to security and health agents deployed in the area, government spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah said. He urged residents to remain calm.

Local media reported that the explosions began shortly before midnight and lasted more than 30 minutes. Nearby buildings shook and munitions were thrown from the depot with explosive force.

Authorities called on residents to stay away from the area, which was taken over by security forces who rounded up scattered artillery shells.

Allamine Moussa, a resident, asked the government to “help us urgently” . “Many families have recorded deaths and it’s sad ,” Moussa said.

Chad , a country of nearly 18 million people, was rocked by political unrest before and after a controversial presidential election that resulted in Deby Itno 's victory . The latter had led the country as interim president during the military regime which followed the death of his father in 2021.

The country is seen by the United States and France as one of the last stable allies in the volatile Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert after military coups in Burkina Faso , Mali and Niger these last years.