Chad’s military confirmed on Tuesday that 23 soldiers lost their lives and 26 others were wounded in a brutal attack by Boko Haram militants on a base located on the shores of Lake Chad.
Army spokesperson Issakha Acheikh Chanane stated that the assault occurred late on Monday on the island of Barka Tolorom. Despite the severity of the attack, Chadian forces managed to repel the militants, neutralizing a significant number of them during the clash.
In response to the attack, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno condemned the assault as “cowardly.” In a Facebook post, he vowed that Chad would stand resolute against the growing violence. “In the face of barbarism, Chad stands firm, united, and unyielding,” he declared. “Obscurantism will never prevail over the Republic. We will continue the fight with renewed determination until this threat is eradicated.”
Boko Haram, originally founded in Nigeria, has long posed a regional threat, extending its violent campaign into neighboring countries, including Chad and Cameroon. The islands in Lake Chad, which straddle the borders of the three countries, have become the militants’ primary stronghold.
Chad has faced multiple assaults by the militant group over the years, with the most devastating attack occurring in March 2020 when around 100 Chadian soldiers were killed in an assault on the Bohoma peninsula.
