In response to a deadly attack that killed over 40 government troops in the Lake Chad Basin, Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Deby has launched a new military operation, “Haskanite,” aimed at locating and dismantling Boko Haram forces in the region. The attack occurred in Ngouboua, near Chad’s border with Nigeria, and underscored the persistent security challenges posed by Boko Haram, whose activities extend across Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and Chad.
President Deby, who visited the scene and attended the soldiers’ burials, declared three days of national mourning, mandating that flags be flown at half-mast and directing media outlets to play only religious music. The “Haskanite” operation aims to deploy fresh troops and resources to the Lake Chad area, a region where Boko Haram has found refuge due to its complex geography and expansive, remote islands.
The assault, reportedly involving 300 Boko Haram fighters, resulted in extensive damage to military resources. Heavily armed jihadists overtook the garrison, setting fire to vehicles and buildings before vanishing into the lake’s labyrinthine waters and surrounding areas. Chad’s military command noted that scores of attackers were killed, but some managed to retreat, seizing weapons from the base.
Local conflict expert Saibou Issa emphasized the necessity of a joint regional response to combat Boko Haram’s resilience, citing how poverty and instability push former combatants back into militancy. He explained that while Boko Haram’s presence in Lake Chad has waned due to military pressure, it has splintered into smaller, active factions adept at surviving in the remote lake terrain.
Chad has appealed to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a coalition of forces from Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad, for additional support to counter Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin. Formed to combat the militant threat, the MNJTF currently consists of 11,000 personnel.
Since 2009, Boko Haram’s insurgency has led to over 40,000 deaths and displaced three million people across the region. This latest incident underscores the region’s complex security dynamics and the enduring challenge of combating militancy in Lake Chad’s vast and challenging landscape.
