A deadly attack by Boko Haram insurgents on the Chadian army near the Nigerian border has left around 40 people dead, according to government and local sources.
The attack occurred overnight on Sunday in Ngouboua, a town in western Chad.
According to a local source, the insurgents targeted a garrison housing over 200 soldiers at approximately 10:00 p.m. local time. The attackers overran the military post, seizing weapons, burning vehicles equipped with heavy arms, and then fleeing. “Boko Haram members took control of the garrison, seized the weapons, burnt vehicles equipped with heavy arms, and left,” the source added.
The Chadian presidency confirmed the death toll in a statement on Monday, saying, “The attack tragically left about 40 people dead.” President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno visited the scene early Monday morning and ordered an operation to pursue the attackers and track them down in their hideouts.
The Lake Chad region, a vast area of water and swamps, has long served as a base for Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). These groups frequently carry out attacks on military and civilian targets across Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. Boko Haram, which began its insurgency in Nigeria in 2009, has since spread into neighboring countries, leaving over 40,000 people dead and displacing millions.
In March 2020, Chad suffered one of its deadliest attacks when around 100 soldiers were killed in a Boko Haram raid on the Bohoma peninsula. The incident prompted then-President Idriss Deby Itno to launch a major military offensive against the jihadist group.
The ongoing conflict in the Lake Chad region has continued to displace large numbers of people. In June, the International Office for Migration (IOM) reported that over 220,000 individuals had been displaced due to attacks by armed groups in the area.
