Chadian government refutes un claims of civilian deaths in Lake Chad strikes

The Chadian government has firmly rejected accusations regarding civilian fatalities in recent military operations around the Lake Chad basin. Gassim Chérif Mahamat, the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, stated to national media on Thursday, “These allegations aim to discredit the Chadian army and could undermine its integrity. Chad’s armed forces maintain their professionalism and remain at the forefront of counter-terrorism efforts across the Sahel and the Lake Chad region.”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, had previously called for “independent” investigations on Wednesday. These calls followed reports of bombardments, attributed to Nigerian and Chadian forces, which allegedly resulted in dozens of deaths in northeastern Nigeria. “It is vital that Nigerian and Chadian authorities conduct swift, thorough, independent, and impartial inquiries into these unsettling incidents,” Türk emphasized in a public statement.

For its part, the Nigerian army asserted that it had targeted a “confirmed terrorist structure, occupied exclusively by non-state armed actors who posed a direct threat to civilian lives.”

Authorities affirm commitment to transparency

Gassim Chérif Mahamat, the Chadian government spokesperson, reiterated N’Djamena’s readiness to launch investigations. He also accused Boko Haram of disrupting coexistence among communities and terrorizing vulnerable populations daily in the affected areas. “In the spirit of transparency, the Chadian state is prepared to conduct investigations. We possess an independent judiciary and institutions capable of carrying out inquiries with complete openness,” he detailed.

Volker Türk had previously urged both countries’ armed forces to “exercise all possible precautions to avoid striking civilians,” underscoring that military operations must adhere to international humanitarian law and human rights principles. He stressed, “Civilians and their property must never be the targets of attacks.”

Since 2009, this vast expanse of water and marshlands, bordering Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, has transformed into a jihadist stronghold. It provides refuge for combatants from both Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).