Chad says foiled attack on presidency was work of disorganised, intoxicated group

N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - An foiled attack on Chad's presidential compound overnight was carried out by a disorganised band of intoxicated men wielding knives and machetes who were easily neutralised by security forces, a government spokesperson said. Bursts of gunfire rang out near the president's office in the capital N'Djamena on Wednesday night as the military blocked surrounding streets. The attack comes at a delicate time for Chad, which recently scrapped a defence cooperation pact with longtime partner France that made it a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in West and Central Africa's Sahel region.