15 Chadian Soldiers, 96 Boko Haram Fighters Dead in Escalating Jihadist Clashes

The terrorist group known as Boko Haram clashed with Chadian forces on Saturday, leaving at least 15 soldiers dead and 32 injured, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, the Chad army killed 96 jihadist fighters in Chad’s Lake Chad region as part of its ongoing Operation Haskanite, a mission aimed at clearing Boko Haram militants from the Lake Chad region, according to General Issakh Acheikh, the army’s spokesperson.
Acheikh informed the public that the army was “in control” and that it is pursuing the remaining insurgent elements under Operation Haskanite.
Acheikh did not disclose the details or precise location of the operation. However, this weekend’s clashes are some of many in recent years as Chad has faced recurrent violence from extremist groups, particularly around the strategic Lake Chad area. Groups such as Boko Haram and other factions affiliated with the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) have repeatedly targeted the region.
Chad, a key ally to both French and U.S. military efforts in West Africa, plays a central role in combating jihadist insurgencies that have plagued the Sahel for over a decade.
Last month, an attack on a military base in the Lake Chad region resulted in the death of 40 soldiers, leading Chad’s interim President, Mahamat Idriss Deby, to warn of potential withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force, a security coalition aimed at fighting Boko Haram and other armed groups in the region.
Political shifts in the region, particularly recent military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, have reshaped alliances, as these nations increasingly distance themselves from Western support in favor of alliances with Russia.