At least 23 Chadian soldiers have been killed in an attack by Boko Haram militants on a military base, the armed forces reported on Tuesday.
The attack occurred late in the evening of May 4 on Barka Tolorom island, where insurgents targeted a base of Chad’s Defense and Security Forces. Military officials said the troops mounted a “fierce counterattack,” ultimately repelling the assault after heavy fighting.
The authorities reported that a significant number of militants were killed in the clash, and weapons and equipment were recovered at the scene. A search for the remaining militants is ongoing.
Twenty-six soldiers were wounded in the attack. The military said the situation is under control and vowed to continue operations against Boko Haram, adding that a more detailed report will be released later.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno condemned the “cowardly attack” and paid tribute to the fallen troops. He added that the fight against Boko Haram will continue “with renewed determination until this threat is completely eradicated.”
Boko Haram has waged an insurgency in the region since 2009, working along with its offshoot faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Northeastern Nigeria remains the group’s main base, but its operations extend across the Lake Chad Basin into Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. Exploiting porous borders and remote terrain, the militants have waged a regional insurgency for over a decade, carrying out bombings, raids, and kidnappings, and contributing to widespread instability and displacement.
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