At least 15 Chadian soldiers have been killed and 32 others injured in recent clashes with Boko Haram fighters, according to Chadian army spokesperson General Issakh Acheikh. The fighting, part of an ongoing campaign known as Operation Haskanite, left 96 Boko Haram militants dead, with another 11 wounded, and resulted in the capture of weapons and other equipment.
General Acheikh did not disclose the specific location or details of the operation, but assured the public that the army is maintaining control over the situation and continuing to pursue remaining insurgent elements. Operation Haskanite was launched to eliminate Boko Haram militants entrenched around Lake Chad, a region that has endured recurrent attacks from Boko Haram and Islamic State-linked insurgents since 2009.
This latest attack follows a deadly assault on a Chadian military base in the Lake region late last month that killed approximately 40 soldiers. Interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby responded with a stern warning, threatening to withdraw Chad from the multinational security force active in the region.
Chad’s role in the fight against regional insurgencies is significant, as the nation is a key ally of both French and U.S. forces aiming to counter the ongoing 12-year insurgency affecting much of West Africa’s Sahel region.