The Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has announced a security operation targeting Boko Haram fighters after they killed more than 40 government troops in a recent attack in the Lake Chad Basin.Â
This region, shared by Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger, has been a hotspot for violence involving Boko Haram.
Deby visited Ngouboua, near the Nigeria border, where the attack took place. He attended the burials of the fallen soldiers and declared a three-day period of national mourning.
As part of this observance, Chad’s state TV announced that flags will be flown at half-mast, and all radio and television stations will play only religious music during this time, beginning October 28 to 30 at midnight.
After the burial, Deby spoke on state TV on Tuesday, dressed in military attire. He ordered the launch of “Operation Haskanite,” a mission to eliminate Boko Haram fighters from the Lake Chad area.
He stated that, as Chad’s president and commander-in-chief, he was committed to protecting civilians and pursuing those responsible for the attacks.
According to Chad’s military officials, the surprise assault occurred around 10 p.m. and involved about 300 heavily armed fighters who targeted a garrison with more than 200 soldiers stationed there.
The attackers overran the garrison, setting fire to vehicles, motorcycles, and heavily armed buildings before fleeing.
In the skirmish, many Boko Haram fighters were also killed, though they managed to escape with some of their dead and captured weapons.
Saibou Issa, a conflict specialist at Cameroon’s University of Maroua, commented on the need for a coordinated regional response, given Lake Chad’s vast expanse and Boko Haram’s frequent movements between neighboring countries.
He stated that poverty often drives former Boko Haram fighters back into militant groups in Lake Chad and that joint efforts from all bordering nations would be crucial.
Chad’s government has requested support from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which consists of 11,000 soldiers from Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.
However, it remains unclear if additional MNJTF forces have been deployed yet, though Cameroon’s military confirmed it is on high alert.
Since 2009, conflict with Boko Haram has displaced over 3 million people and claimed more than 40,000 lives across Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, according to the United Nations.
