Boubacar Sani - N'Djamena, Chad

The Chadian armed forces announced on Tuesday that 23 soldiers were killed by Boko Haram militants in an attack on a military base in the Lake Chad region.

The attack targeted the “Birka Tolurum” military base.

Armed attack on a military base in Chad

The Lake Chad region has long faced threats from the Nigerian group Boko Haram, known for carrying out cross-border attacks in neighboring countries.

The Chadian army reported that 26 other soldiers were wounded during the attack that took place Monday night on Barka Toloroum Island.

The army said in a statement that “a large number of attackers were neutralized” and that the attack was ultimately repelled.

In a separate statement, President Mohamed Idriss Deby described the attack as “cowardly”.

The Lake Chad region, which spans four countries, is rich in natural resources, yet it remains unstable, plagued by numerous armed groups. These groups often finance their activities by imposing illegal taxes on local communities.

According to the United Nations, Boko Haram has killed thousands of people and displaced millions over the past fifteen years.

The group continues to launch attacks in parts of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.