State media in Chad say an attack on the presidential palace left 18 assailants dead and six in custody, with one soldier killed and three wounded.

Two dozen armed men tried to storm into Chad's presidential palace but 18 of the attackers and two soldiers were killed in the failed attack, the national prosecutor said Thursday.Heavy gunfire erupted near the presidential complex just before 8:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) on Wednesday in the centre of N'Djamena,

Chadian troops were heavily deployed around the capital, N’Djamena, Thursday as officials said they were investigating a failed attack on the country’s presidential palace.