Air strikes target extremist strongholds 

Since last Friday, the Chadian military has been conducting intensive strikes against Boko Haram positions located on remote islands across Lake Chad. This expansive wetland area borders Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. Local informants indicate that jihadist fighters, accompanied by their families, abandoned islands such as Dogon Chukwu, Kangarwa, and Gashakar, fleeing in small boats. Furthermore, reports suggest that Chadian soldiers engaged in direct clashes with extremist combatants on Kaukeri Island, a significant operational base for the group within the area. 

Civilians caught in crossfire: fishermen casualties 

Unfortunately, these military operations have also impacted civilian populations. Dozens of Nigerian fishermen, who operate on islands previously under Boko Haram’s control, are reported to have lost their lives during the bombardments. Visual evidence depicts severely injured individuals receiving medical attention at a hospital in Bosso, Niger. It is a grim reality that many fishermen in this region persist in working within jihadist-influenced territories, often compelled to pay illicit taxes exacted by Boko Haram. 

Retaliation follows deadly assaults
 

These coordinated military actions were initiated in response to a series of brutal attacks targeting the Chadian army. Just last week, Chad declared three days of national mourning following an ambush that resulted in the deaths of two senior generals. Days prior, an assault on a Chadian military base on the shores of Lake Chad claimed the lives of at least 24 soldiers. A Nigerian intelligence source confirms that the current air strikes are a collaborative effort, with Chad, Nigeria, and Niger each deploying two combat aircraft. 

Persistent instability in the Lake Chad basin

The jihadist insurgency, spearheaded by Boko Haram and its rival, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has caused immense devastation in the Lake Chad basin since 2009. This ongoing conflict has led to thousands of fatalities and displaced millions of individuals. In light of the escalating violence spreading into neighboring countries, regional states have reactivated their Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to intensify efforts against these armed jihadist groups.