Tchad denies striking civilians in anti-terror raids near Lake Chad

N’Djamena — The Chadian government has strongly rejected accusations from the United Nations regarding civilian casualties in military operations targeting Boko Haram around the Lake Chad basin. While maintaining its stance, N’Djamena has indicated readiness to launch investigations into the claims.

Government defends military operations in Sahel region

The Chadian government spokesperson, Gassim Chérif Mahamat, condemned on Thursday what he termed as attempts to “undermine the credibility” of the national armed forces. He emphasized that Chadian troops remain “highly professional” and fully committed to counterterrorism efforts across the Sahel and Lake Chad regions. These remarks follow a United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights statement alleging that Chadian and Nigerian airstrikes in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State resulted in multiple civilian deaths.

UN demands swift and transparent investigations

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on Wednesday for “rapid, thorough, independent, and impartial” probes by both Chad and Nigeria into the incidents. He urged military forces in both countries to exercise “maximum caution” to prevent civilian harm, stressing that operations must comply with international humanitarian law. “Civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted,” Türk emphasized.

Chad commits to transparent inquiries despite rejecting accusations

Despite denying the allegations, the Chadian government has pledged to conduct investigations. Gassim Chérif Mahamat reassured that the country possesses an “independent judiciary” capable of carrying out transparent probes. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s military asserted that its strikes targeted a confirmed terrorist facility exclusively occupied by non-state armed groups.

Lake Chad basin remains a jihadist stronghold

For over fifteen years, the Lake Chad basin has emerged as a major jihadist hub in Africa. This vast marshland, shared by Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, has long served as a refuge for Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters. Regional armies continue to conduct regular military operations against these groups amid persistent security instability.