Kehinde Fajobi
No fewer than 40 Chadian soldiers were killed in an attack by Boko Haram near the Nigerian border, according to the Chadian government and local sources.
The assault, which occurred late Sunday, targeted a military garrison in Ngouboua, located in the Lake Chad region, an area plagued by frequent militant activity.
A statement from the presidency confirmed that the attack “tragically left about 40 people dead.”
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno visited the site on Monday morning, ordering an immediate operation to pursue the militants “to their farthest hideouts.”
Reports indicate the unit’s commanding officer was among those killed, and the attackers allegedly “seized ammunition and equipment” before withdrawing.
Additionally, around 20 other soldiers were wounded in the incident.
Local sources said that Boko Haram fighters overtook the garrison, seizing weapons, destroying vehicles equipped with heavy arms, and then leaving the area.
A regional military leader stated that while the casualties were significant, the situation is now under control and forces are actively pursuing the attackers.
The Lake Chad region, with its numerous swampy islets, has become a stronghold for Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP). Both groups frequently target military and civilian sites across the region.
The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in Nigeria in 2009, has since spread, claiming over 40,000 lives and displacing millions.
Chad faced one of its heaviest single-day losses in March 2020 when nearly 100 soldiers were killed in an assault on the Bohoma peninsula in Lake Chad, prompting former President Idriss Deby Itno to launch a counteroffensive.
Monday’s statement from the presidency aimed to reassure both citizens and security personnel, with President Deby expressing his “unwavering commitment to protect the entire nation.”
Recently, Chad’s military leadership has seen a reshuffle amid internal tensions regarding the country’s stance on the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Chad has been accused of funneling weapons from the United Arab Emirates to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are locked in conflict with the Sudanese army. Both Chad and the UAE have denied these allegations.
The United Nations estimates that the Sudan conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions.