The Chadian government has firmly refuted allegations made by the United Nations concerning civilian fatalities during aerial operations targeting Boko Haram within the Lake Chad basin. During a press briefing held on Thursday, May 14, authorities in N’Djamena called for tangible evidence to support these assertions and extended an invitation for an independent investigative mission to visit the region.

The United Nations had previously reported on Sunday that airstrikes, attributed to both Nigerian and Chadian forces, were believed to have resulted in approximately one hundred civilian deaths in northeastern Nigeria and Chad. Some of these casualties reportedly occurred during missions against Boko Haram, prompting the UN to demand a thorough inquiry.

Gassim Chérif Mahamat, the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, characterized these accusations as unwarranted. He stated, “We respond with astonishment. These serious allegations aim to discredit the Chadian Army, even as it stands on the front lines of the fight against terrorism across the Sahel and in the Lake Chad basin. This is a professional army with a proven track record.”

Minister Mahamat further asserted that the areas targeted by Chadian aviation contained “neither civilians nor fishermen.” He added, “Currently, no formal proof corroborates these accusations,” and reiterated N’Djamena’s readiness to “conduct its own investigations and to invite the United Nations or any other international body to come to the field to carry out independent inquiries.”

The spokesperson emphasized that the ongoing state of emergency in the affected zone is specifically designed to safeguard the security and well-being of local populations, with the army and security services maintaining a constant presence.

He also highlighted that the comprehensive strategy against Boko Haram rests upon two fundamental pillars: security measures and socio-economic development. According to Mahamat, the Chadian state has made significant investments in the area to counteract the indoctrination often fueled by poverty and inadequate infrastructure.

“Chad bears the heaviest burden, through its population and its constantly mobilized army,” Gassim Chérif Mahamat stressed. He reminded observers that Chad is not the sole riparian state of Lake Chad and maintains close cooperation with Nigeria in confronting the Boko Haram insurgency.

Just recently, on May 4 and 6, the jihadist group launched attacks on Chadian Army positions, causing numerous deaths and injuries. From N’Djamena’s perspective, it is unequivocally Boko Haram that is responsible for the ongoing violence, not the Chadian Army.

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst