A Team Effort

Chadian President Mahamat Déby Itno launched a military operation against the militant group Boko Haram and called on the international community to boost support for counter-terrorism efforts in the Sahel, days after the jihadist group killed dozens of Chadian troops in the Lake Chad region, the Voice of America reported.

Over the weekend, Boko Haram militants launched a surprise assault that killed 40 Chadian soldiers and injured around 20 others at a garrison near Ngouboua, close to the Nigerian border.

Chad’s military estimated that roughly 300 heavily armed militants overran the base, torching vehicles and seizing weapons before retreating into the Lake Chad basin’s dense terrain – an area known as a haven for the group and its offshoot, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

On Monday, Déby announced three days of national mourning and vowed a “full pursuit” of those responsible.

Government officials also appealed to the international community, saying collective action was necessary “to eradicate this scourge which threatens the stability and the development of the entire region,” Agence France-Presse wrote.

The recent violence underscores the Lake Chad region’s persistent security issues – militant attacks have plagued the area since Boko Haram’s insurgency began in Nigeria in 2009.

The conflict has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced 3 million others across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, according to the United Nations.

Despite Déby Itno’s pledge to stop the group, analysts cautioned that it will be challenging for Chad to singlehandedly fight the jihadist group in the Lake Chad region, given its vast geography and terrain.

Chad has also sought further assistance from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) – an 11,000-strong coalition of forces from Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger – to coordinate efforts against the militant group.