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The upcoming elections will mark the end of the transitional government
By Paul Njie
BBC News
Heavy gunfire has been heard in Chad's capital N'Djamena following a deadly attack on the headquarters of the National Security Agency (ANSE).
Several people were killed in Wednesday's attack, the government said - blaming the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF).
Its leader, Yaya Dillo, told the AFP news agency the allegation was a "lie".
The unrest comes a day after the announcement that Chad will hold presidential elections on 6 May.
N'Djamena residents reported hearing intense gunfire near the PSF's main office on Wednesday and said they had seen several military vehicles heading there.
One witness told Reuters that the PSF buildings had been cordoned off.
Communication Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said the earlier attack on the ANSE buildings was led by Mr Dillo, who denied he was there - telling AFP the accusation was intended "to make me afraid so that I don't go to the election".
One of Mr Dillo's colleagues, the PSF's general secretary, told Reuters that contrary to the government's claim that its members had attacked the ANSE building, they had been the ones to come under attack from soldiers while trying to retrieve the body of their colleague Ahmed Torabi.
The PSF official said Mr Torabi was arrested and shot dead on Tuesday, before his body was dumped outside the ANSE buildings.
According to the government, Mr Torabi had attempted to assassinate the president of the Supreme Court.
Relatives and party members who tried to get to his body were shot at on Wednesday morning, resulting in multiple fatalities, the general secretary said.
Mr Dillo also denied any links to the assassination attempt, which he described as "staged", according to AFP.
The government said PSF members had been arrested or were being sought over the attack on the ANSE headquarters and would be prosecuted.
"Anyone looking to disturb the democratic process under way in the country will be prosecuted and brought to justice," the government said in a statement quoted by AFP.
It is not clear if Mr Dillo was among those arrested, but in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning he said the military had come for him at his party headquarters.
In addition to the violence, internet connectivity has been disrupted in the country, according to internet watchdog Netblocks.
Mr Dillo is a vocal opponent of his cousin, President Mahamat Déby, who came into power in 2021 after the latter's father was killed by rebels after three decades in power.
Mr Déby promised to return the country to civilian rule - but delayed it for more than two years.
The May election is supposed to mark the end of the political transition.
The Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) designated President Déby as its candidate for the upcoming elections, but he is yet to openly comment on whether he will run.
Former colonial power France has been backing Mr Déby since the start of the transition, raising eyebrows both in and out of the country.
France currently has about 1,000 troops in Chad to fight jihadist groups across West Africa.
The opposition said the electoral commission is far from neutral and it fears an extension of the Déby dynasty.

Court denies Donald Trump's bid to pause $454m penalty in civil fraud case

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By Chloe Kim & Max Matza
BBC News
Donald Trump must post a bond to cover the full $454m penalty while he appeals against the judgment in his New York civil fraud trial, a court has ruled.
Mr Trump's lawyers had argued he would "suffer irreparable harm" if forced to pay the entire sum and that he was prepared to post a $100m (£79m) bond.
The judge did pause a three-year ban on him seeking loans from New York banks - which could help him secure the bond.
New York's attorney general has vowed to seize his assets if he doesn't pay.
Mr Trump's lawyers have not immediately responded to the appeals court's ruling.
The order issued on Wednesday requires Mr Trump to pay the full amount, which stems from his misrepresenting of his property values, in the coming weeks.
In a filing on Wednesday, Mr Trump's lawyers said the "exorbitant and punitive amount of the judgment coupled with an unlawful and unconstitutional blanket prohibition on lending transactions would make it impossible to secure and post a complete bond".
They also said a $100m bond coupled with Trump's "vast" real estate properties and oversight by a court-designated monitor for the Trump Organization, should be sufficient to secure the full sum.
But their motion, which was opposed by Attorney General Letitia James, failed to convince appeals court Associate Justice Anil Singh.
But Judge Singh did agree to pause part of the judgement that prohibits Mr Trump and his sons from conducting business in the state, effectively leaving them at the head of the Trump Organization.
The penalty will keep accruing interest by at least $112,000 per day if he refuses to pay.
Ms James had asked the appeals court to deny Mr Trump's request.
"There is no merit to defendants' contention that a full bond or deposit is unnecessary because they are willing to post a partial undertaking of less than a quarter of the judgment amount," the attorney general's office said in a filing.
"Defendants all but concede that Mr Trump has insufficient liquid assets to satisfy the judgment: defendants would need 'to raise capital' to do so. These are precisely the circumstances for which a full bond or deposit is necessary."
Last week, Ms James told ABC News: "If he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, then we will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets."
According to a Forbes estimate, Mr Trump is worth about $2.6bn. Though it is unclear how much cash he has on hand, he testified last year he has $400m in liquid assets.
In addition to paying penalties for business fraud, the ex-president was also ordered to pay $83m last month after losing a defamation case to E Jean Carroll, a woman he was found to have sexually abused.
Meanwhile, Judge Arthur Engoron, who issued the judgement that Mr Trump is seeking to overturn, was involved in a hazardous substances scare on Wednesday. Court staff opened an envelope containing a powdery substance addressed to him, officials say.
Preliminary testing "showed it was negative for hazardous substances", Al Baker, a court spokesperson told the BBC. Judge Engoron did not have any exposure to the letter.
With additional reporting by Kayla Epstein

Trump appeals fraud case as $112,000-a-day interest accrues

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By Chloe Kim
BBC News, New York
Donald Trump is appealing against a New York judge's ruling that he must pay $454m (£360m) in penalties and interest in a civil fraud case.
This month's judgement was $355m, but the amount has soared with interest, which will keep accruing by at least $112,000 per day.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has said if Mr Trump does not pay, she will seek to seize some of his assets.
He was found to have inflated property values to obtain better loan terms.
Judge Arthur Engoron also banned the former US president from doing business in the state for three years.

• Donald Trump must pay $354m in fraud damages. How could he do it?
• Donald Trump hit where it hurts most in New York fraud ruling

Monday's appeal from the Republican presidential frontrunner means yet another legal case of his will drag further into election season as he prepares for a likely rematch against Democratic President Joe Biden in November.
Mr Trump had said all along he planned on appealing against the ruling, calling it a political witch hunt.
His lawyer, Alina Habba, said on Monday they hope the appeal court "will overturn this egregious fine and take the necessary steps to restore the public faith in New York's legal system".
In their court filing, the attorneys said they were asking the appellate division to decide whether Judge Engoron's court "committed errors of law and/or fact" and whether it "abused its discretion" or "acted in excess of its jurisdiction".
The former president's lawyers have also argued that he was wrongly sued under a consumer-protection statute typically used to rein in businesses that rip off customers.
Mr Trump's legal team has previously challenged rulings by Judge Engoron at least 10 times, including a gag order.
The appeals process could last a year or longer.
Mr Trump could be granted a pause on collection of the judgement if he offers up money, assets or an appeal bond covering the amount owed. It is unclear what route he will take.
Mr Trump's two adult sons and co-defendants, Donald Jr and Eric, were ordered to pay $4m each and are barred for two years from doing business in New York. They have maintained there was no wrongdoing and joined their father's appeal on Monday.
Adding to the drain on his cash reserves, the ex-president was last month ordered to pay $83m after losing a defamation case to E Jean Carroll, a woman he was found to have sexually abused.
In May 2023, he lost a lawsuit against the New York Times and was ordered to pay for the legal expenses of the reporters he had sued. On Monday, one of the reporters involved in the case, Susanne Craig, tweeted that Mr Trump had completed the mandated $392,600 payment.
According to a Forbes estimate, Mr Trump is worth about $2.6bn. Though it is unclear how much cash he has on hand, he testified last year he has $400m in liquid assets.
The civil trial that began in October focused mostly on determining penalties against Mr Trump since Judge Engoron had already ruled the ex-president liable for business fraud.
He faces another case in his hometown of New York City next month. In those criminal proceedings, it is alleged that Mr Trump falsified business records to conceal hush money paid to an adult film star before the 2016 election.
On Monday, the Manhattan prosecutor who is bringing that case asked a judge for a gag order on Mr Trump.
The district attorney's office said such a measure was needed to protect jurors, witnesses and court staff from Mr Trump's "long history of making public and inflammatory remarks".
Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, called the request an "unconstitutional infringement" Mr Trump's rights.
He reiterated the former president's claims that the indictments against him are partisan attempts to prevent his re-election.

Key takeaways from Donald Trump's 'overwhelming' fraud trial defeat

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Donald Trump leaves the New York fraud trial.
By Kayla Epstein
BBC New, New York
In a stunning blow to his business empire, Donald Trump has been found liable for almost $355m (£281m) in penalties by Justice Arthur Engoron, in a long-awaited conclusion to the billionaire's fraud trial.
The judge issued a further shock to the real estate personality once synonymous with Manhattan's skyline, barring him from doing business in New York for three years.
Justice Engoron broadly sided with Attorney General Letitia James' argument that the Trump Organization should pay a steep price for fraudulently misrepresenting their assets in order to get more favourable loans and interest rates over the course of years.
While the judge backtracked on an earlier, controversial decision that threatened to dissolve many of Mr Trump's businesses in New York, his judgement still represents a serious setback for the 77-year-old.
Here are the key things to know about Justice Engoron's decision and its impact.

1. A crushing financial penalty for Trump

Mr Trump and his real estate organisation were ordered to pay $354,868,768 (£281m) in fines, just short of the amount Ms James had requested. This is an enormous sum, even for a billionaire.
Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, the former president's two sons who currently run the Trump Organization, must pay $4m each in fines. Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, must pay $1m.
The defendants may also have to pay heavy interest on their fines, potentially adding millions more to the total. Ms James estimated that the sum Mr Trump owes could eventually come to $463.9m.
"It is an overwhelming defeat for the former president on all counts," said Mitchell Epner, a white-collar attorney in New York.
Mr Trump will likely appeal Justice Engoron's decision. But to stay the verdict pending the appeal, he will have to put up the entirety of the fine within 30 days.
And the penalties come hot on the heels of the $83.3m a jury recently ordered him to pay the writer E Jean Carroll for defaming her. Combined, the two might represent more cash that Mr Trump has free.
There are a few ways he could find the money, and all those routes might face complications.
"He's got to think about what to do with his assets, how to perhaps liquidate businesses to come up with that money," Sarah Krissoff, a former federal prosecutor, said ahead of the ruling.

2. Trumps barred from doing business in New York, but not forever

Justice Engoron barred Donald Trump from doing business in New York for three years. His sons, Eric and Donald Jr, are barred for two years.
Ms James had asked for a lifetime ban for Mr Trump, but Justice Engoron opted for a shorter length of time.
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POOL VIA GETTY IMAGES
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Justice Arthur Engoron oversees Trump's New York fraud trial.
These days, Mr Trump does not spend much time in the city where he built his empire, and most of his recent visits have been for court dates. Instead, he has established himself firmly in Florida, a far more favourable political climate.
And the order will not apply outside the state. Mr Trump has other business and properties around the country and the world, and Justice Engoran's order would not stop him from being involved with them.
Nonetheless, the ruling seriously curtails his ability to do business in a city home to some of his most valuable assets, Steve Cohen, a professor at New York Law School, told the BBC.
The verdict "does everything in this court's power to eliminate the ability of Donald Trump, and those who operate on behalf of Donald Trump to do business in the jurisdiction over which this court has authority: New York state," said Mr Cohen.

3. Judge walks back a controversial initial ruling and Trump Organization will still exist

One of the biggest questions ahead of the decision was whether Justice Engoron would stick with an initial ruling from September, which ordered the dissolution of Mr Trump's businesses in New York.
Legal experts had serious questions about whether the sweeping anti-fraud statute Ms James used to bring the case applied to Mr Trump's businesses that took the form of limited liability companies (LLCs). Judge Engoron's earlier ruling had covered those businesses, but today, he walked that back.
Instead, he subjected those companies and the Trump Organization to strict oversight, and any decisions about the "restructuring and dissolution" of Mr Trump's LLCs will fall to an overseer.
This revision will make it less likely for Justice Engoron's decision to be overturned on appeal.
"Self-correction is always wiser than being reversed," Mr Cohen observed.
The Trump Organization will continue to exist in a modified, and heavily scrutinized form, he explained.
But even though the worst outcome - the dissolution of Mr Trump's New York businesses - was avoided, the ruling was still an incredibly broad interpretation of the anti-fraud law, Mr Cohen added.

4. Court monitor will keep company under a microscope

Even though the ruling was very detrimental to Mr Trump, he got a slight reprieve when Justice Engoron decided to keep an independent monitor in place for at least three years.
Justice Engoron could have also appointed a receiver to oversee Mr Trump's businesses, which would have had even more control over their operations, Mr Cohen explained. An independent monitor, while still a serious oversight, is a slightly less severe option.
"Instead of being placed in a straitjacket, in a locked room, under guard, they're being put in handcuffs, in a locked room, under guard," Mr Cohen observed.
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MICHAEL M. SANTIAGO
Image caption,

Trump attends his New York fraud trial.
Still, the independent monitor will have broad authority to keep Mr Trump's businesses in line.
The monitor, Barbara Jones, will get to appoint an independent director of compliance to work under her, and the Trump Organization will have to pay them.
"By installing this additional layer, this compliance director, it's a person who's literally sitting at Trump Organization, and nothing can go out, nothing can be issued without that person approving," said Diana Florence, a former federal prosecutor.
"It's a big deal and it's certainly should have the impact of stopping any misstatements on financial records."

5. Ruling lays bare Trump's controversial business practices

Justice Engoron cited extensive evidence from throughout the trial to underscore his ultimate decision.
And he did not hold back when laying out his justification for such a harsh ruling. At one point he quoted the British poet Alexander Pope: "To err is human, to forgive is divine."
"Defendants," Justice Engoron wrote, were "apparently are of a different mind".
"Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological," he said. "Yet, defendants are incapable of admitting the error of their ways. Instead, they adopt a 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' posture that the evidence belies."
"This trial has made clear just how sloppily the Trump Organization is run as a business when it comes to its financial practices," said Will Thomas, a professor at University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.
With additional reporting from Madeline Halpert in New York City.