Chad has called on the international community to enhance support for counter-terrorism initiatives in the Sahel following a devastating attack by Boko Haram jihadists that resulted in the deaths of approximately 40 Chadian soldiers.
On Sunday, this notorious group targeted a military garrison in the Lake Chad region, an area rife with various armed factions. The Chadian government, in a statement from spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah, mourned the loss of these “brave Chadian soldiers” and reported around 20 additional injuries among the troops.
In light of this tragedy, the Chadian government emphasized the urgent need for intensified international support to bolster counter-terrorism efforts in the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin. They highlighted that “determined collective action is essential to eradicate this scourge, which threatens the stability and development of the entire region.”
In response to the attack, President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno announced a military operation to pursue the attackers, stating that security forces are actively engaged in tracking them down.
France’s embassy in Chad expressed solidarity, stating on social media that “France stands with Chad in the fight against terrorism” and extending condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.
Chad, a long-time ally of France and under the leadership of President Idriss Deby Itno’s son, is the last Sahel country still hosting French troops. The country is surrounded by nations, including the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, and Niger, where Russian paramilitary forces from the Wagner group are present.
While the current Chadian administration has sought to strengthen ties with Moscow in recent months, tangible results from economic cooperation talks have yet to materialize. The Lake Chad region, characterized by its vast swamps and numerous islets, serves as a refuge for jihadist groups like Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP). These groups regularly attack both military forces and civilians.
Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009, leading to over 40,000 deaths and displacing two million people. The organization has since expanded its activities into neighboring countries. In March 2020, Chad experienced its deadliest day in this ongoing conflict, with around 100 troops killed in a raid on the Bohoma peninsula in Lake Chad.
In response to the recent attack, the Chadian government has declared three days of national mourning, with flags flown at half-mast and a prohibition on celebratory events.
