One Person Killed As Boko Haram Attacks Chad
Boko Haram insurgents in the Nigeria’s north-east have attacked a village in Chad early on Sunday, killing one person, local residents said.
The terror sect, which is seeking to carve an Islamist emirate out of north-eastern Nigeria, has expanded its zone of operations in recent times but attacks on Chadian territory have continued to remain rare.
Reuters reports that a resident of the targeted village, who asked not to be named, said that “Boko Haram elements this morning attacked the village of Djargagoroum, between Ngouboua and Kaiga. The attack was repelled. We count one dead and two houses were burned.”
Boko Haram raided nearby Ngouboua, on the shores of Lake Chad, last month in the group’s first known lethal attack on Chadian soil.
Chad’s military has spearheaded an operation by Nigeria’s neighbours against the insurgency, which has killed thousands and which last week pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State militant group.
Chad is also the base for a French regional counter-insurgency operation “Barkhane” which provides intelligence and logistical support to the Chadian army.
Chad and Niger had launched a joint army operation against Boko Haram militants in Nigeria, stepping up a regional push to end the Sunni Muslim group’s six-year insurgency.
Boko Haram had expanded cross-border raids into Cameroon, Chad and Niger in recent months. This has spurred Nigeria’s neighbours to retaliate, although cooperation between them and Nigeria has been limited.
