In response to a recent deadly assault by Boko Haram militants, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has taken personal command of a military counter-offensive near Lake Chad, the presidency announced on Thursday. The assault, which occurred between Sunday and Monday, resulted in around 40 deaths and left 37 others wounded, marking one of the most severe incidents in the area in recent months.
“The president of the republic, the supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, is still camped on the edge of Lake Chad where he is personally leading operation ‘Haskanite,’” a statement from the presidency shared on Facebook confirmed. Accompanying the announcement was a photograph of Deby, 40, dressed in military uniform as he leads the mission.
According to a senior military officer who spoke anonymously, ground and air forces have been mobilized in response, with the army identifying a suspected militant hideout through aerial reconnaissance.
Prime Minister Abderahim Bireme Hamid elaborated on the objective of the operation, noting that it aims to “secure our peaceful population” and “obliterate the capacity for harm of Boko Haram and its affiliates.” Hamid further called for increased international support in counter-terrorism efforts across the region.
The Lake Chad region remains a stronghold for both Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which operate on islands across the area’s marshlands. Boko Haram’s insurgency, initially launched in Nigeria in 2009, has since spread to Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, causing extensive loss of life and displacement.
