Targeted strikes on jihadist hideouts

Since Friday, Chadian forces have launched precision strikes against Boko Haram positions on remote islands within the vast Lake Chad basin—a sprawling wetland straddling Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. Local reports confirm that militants evacuated islands such as Dogon Chukwu, Kangarwa, and Gashakar using small boats, often with their families in tow. Ground engagements also unfolded on Kaukeri Island, a long-standing jihadist stronghold in the region.

Civilian casualties emerge from military operations

Civilian lives have also been affected by the campaign. Dozens of Nigerian fishermen working on islands under Boko Haram control were reportedly killed in the airstrikes. Graphic footage, verified by regional sources, shows critically injured victims receiving treatment at a hospital in Bosso, Niger. Many fishermen in the area continue to operate in jihadist-dominated zones, where they are coerced into paying extortion fees to Boko Haram to access fishing grounds.

Military response follows deadly ambushes

This offensive comes in the wake of multiple deadly attacks targeting Chadian troops. Last week, Chad declared three days of national mourning after two high-ranking generals were killed in a coordinated ambush. Days earlier, an assault on a military outpost along Lake Chad’s shores left at least 24 soldiers dead. According to a Nigerian intelligence source, the recent airstrikes are part of a tri-national effort, with Chad, Nigeria, and Niger each deploying two fighter jets to maximize coordination.

A persistent crisis in the Lake Chad region

The insurgency led by Boko Haram and its affiliate, Islamic State West Africa Province, has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions across the Lake Chad basin since 2009. As violence intensifies in neighboring countries, regional governments have reactivated the Multinational Joint Task Force to bolster efforts against these armed groups.