N’DJAMENA, Chad — In a striking incident over the weekend, 17 soldiers from Chad’s military lost their lives due to a Boko Haram assault on a military installation. Reports indicate that the operation also resulted in the deaths of 96 militants in the western part of Chad, according to statements from the army.
The attack took place in the Lake Chad region on Saturday, as shared by army spokesperson Gen. Issakh Acheikh during a national television broadcast on Sunday evening. Unfortunately, he did not offer further details about the incident.
Throughout this year, the Lake Chad area has faced a surge of violent assaults by various insurgent groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State affiliate in West Africa. This spike in violence has rekindled concerns among residents, particularly following a period of calm that came after the Chadian army successfully launched an operation in 2020 aimed at dismantling the bases of these extremist factions.
Last month marked another somber chapter, with 40 soldiers perishing in an attack on a military base. In response to this escalation, President Mahamat Deby Itno initiated a military operation aimed at ousting Boko Haram from the Lake Chad region. Earlier in March, a separate Boko Haram-related incident claimed the lives of seven soldiers.
Boko Haram has been engaged in an insurgency for over ten years, originally opposing Western education and advocating for the implementation of Islamic law, particularly in Nigeria’s northeast. This conflict has not remained isolated, with its influence spilling over into neighboring West African countries such as Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.
Chad, home to nearly 18 million residents, is grappling with significant political instability both before and following a contentious presidential election that saw President Deby Itno claim victory. He had been serving as the interim president during a transitional military rule after the death of his father in 2021.
