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Chad Military Base Attack Claims Over 40 Soldiers’ Lives

Published by Tope Fakinlede on October 28th, 2024.

Chad Military Base Attack Claims Over 40 Soldiers’ Lives

At least 40 soldiers from Chad have been killed following an attack on their military base on Sunday evening, according to the presidency.

President Mahamat Déby has launched a counter-operation to track down those responsible. The attack occurred on Barkaram Island, a region that was once part of Lake Chad but has since shrunk dramatically.

While no suspects have been officially named, local sources suggest that fighters from Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group active in Nigeria, may be behind the assault. At the time of the attack, around 200 soldiers were stationed at the base.

This incident marks one of the deadliest assaults on Chadian forces since 2020, when a similar raid resulted in approximately 100 soldier fatalities. President Déby, who is also a trained soldier, visited the site of the attack to assess the situation and pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.

The Lake Chad basin, shared by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, is a focus of a Multinational Joint Task Force aimed at combating armed groups in the region. However, experts warn that these militants often regroup when military forces withdraw, highlighting the need for better funding and planning.

Chad remains a stable partner for the West amid regional unrest, strengthening ties with Russia and serving as a key route for arms into Sudan while also hosting many refugees from the ongoing civil conflict there.