Chad: Boko Haram kills 23 soldiers in deadly attack

A Chadian soldier

Boko Haram militants attacked a Chadian military post on Barka Tolorom Island in the Lake Chad region on Monday night, killing at least 23 security personnel and wounding 26 others, the Chadian military reported.

The military stated that it successfully repelled the attack and that operations to clear the area are ongoing. A significant number of militants were reported killed during the clashes, though exact figures were not released.

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno condemned the attack as "cowardly," expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased, and vowed to intensify efforts to eradicate Boko Haram from the Lake Chad Basin.

The Lake Chad region, encompassing Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon, has long been a hotbed of activity for Boko Haram and its splinter groups. The Nigerian-based Islamist insurgency has expanded its operations into western Chad since 2009, frequently targeting military installations.

This incident is among the deadliest attacks against Chadian forces in recent months, highlighting the persistent security challenges despite multinational counterinsurgency operations in the area. No immediate claims of responsibility were reported beyond the army's attribution to Boko Haram.