Chad Cries Foul: Fighting Boko Haram 'Alone' in Lake Chad Basin
Chadian defense forces have ramped up efforts to eliminate Boko Haram fighters following a late October attack that claimed the lives of approximately 40 soldiers at a garrison in the Lake Chad Basin. In response, President Mahamat Idriss Déby launched "Operation Haskanite," which authorities say has resulted in the deaths of around 100 Boko Haram fighters.
"I can confirm that there are no more Boko Haram groups on Chadian soil," stated Saleh Haggar, governor of Lake Province. "Operation Haskanite has driven them out, and we’ve neutralized them. For instance, during our last confrontation, we eliminated a prominent Boko Haram leader, Kanaye Djougoun. This operation has been a success."
Chad asserts that Boko Haram no longer has a foothold within its territory and that the group operates from neighboring Niger and Nigeria, using the Lake Chad Basin as a supply area. The region has been a hotspot for militant activity since Boko Haram’s insurgency began in northeastern Nigeria in 2009.
Despite the operation’s successes, Chad’s Minister of Communication, Boukar Michel, criticized the lack of international support. "Why is Chad alone on the battleground?" he asked. "Why haven’t refugees and internally displaced people received aid from the international community? Why have humanitarians failed to intervene? Chad cannot continue to bear these losses alone."
Chad has also warned of a potential withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a regional counterterrorism coalition formed in 2015 with contributions from Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon. N’Djamena has expressed frustration with the limited support from its neighbors and the international community in combating Boko Haram.
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