At least 40 soldiers from Chad have lost their lives following an attack on their base on Sunday evening, according to a statement from the presidency. President Mahamat Déby has initiated a counter-mission aimed at tracking down those responsible for the assault.
The attack reportedly took place on Barkaram Island, located in a marshy region that has drastically shrunk in recent decades due to changes in Lake Chad’s water levels. While the presidency did not name any suspects in its statement, the area is known to be close to border zones with Nigeria and Niger, where Islamist militants are active.
Latest United Nations figures indicate that over 220,000 individuals have been displaced due to ongoing insecurity and violence from armed groups in the region. This incident marks one of the most significant losses for Chadian soldiers since 2020, when approximately 100 soldiers were killed in a raid that prompted a military operation against Islamist militants by the then-President Idriss Déby.
Local residents have informed the AFP news agency that they suspect Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group based in Nigeria, was behind this latest attack, noting that around 200 soldiers were stationed at the garrison at the time. Reports suggest that the attackers were able to seize ammunition and equipment before their departure.
The attack poses a significant challenge for President Déby, a trained elite soldier and son of the former president, who was killed in battle with rebels three years ago. In his public communications, the Chadian presidency has portrayed Déby as an involved leader, highlighting his visit to the attack site early Monday. There, he assessed the situation, honored the fallen soldiers, expressed compassion for the wounded, and aimed to boost the morale of his troops.
The Lake Chad basin, which borders Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, is part of a Multinational Joint Task Force working to combat armed groups in the area. However, the International Crisis Group has noted that Islamists often regroup when troops withdraw, emphasizing the need for improved funding and planning.
The region has seen a series of coups in neighboring countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, with the military in each citing their inability to manage the Islamist militant threat as a key reason for ousting civilian governments. Analyst Paul Melly points out that Chad stands out as a stable partner for the West amid these crises and is now strengthening ties with Russia, a move that raises concerns for France and the US.
Chad is also reportedly a critical conduit for arms flowing into Sudan, though it denies this claim. Additionally, the country is hosting large numbers of refugees from Sudan’s civil war in camps located near its eastern border.
