N’Djamena firmly rejects un allegations regarding boko haram airstrikes

The Chadian government has unequivocally dismissed accusations from the United Nations alleging civilian fatalities during aerial operations targeting Boko Haram in the Lake Chad basin. During a press briefing held this Thursday, May 14, officials demanded concrete evidence and extended an invitation for an independent investigative mission to visit the country.

The UN had previously indicated on Sunday that airstrikes, attributed to both Nigeria and the Chadian Army, reportedly resulted in approximately one hundred civilian deaths across northeastern Nigeria and Chad. Some of these casualties were said to have occurred during anti-Boko Haram operations, prompting the UN to call for an inquiry.

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

According to the minister, there were “neither civilians nor fishermen” present in the areas targeted by Chadian aviation. He further added, “Currently, no formal proof corroborates these accusations,” clarifying that N’Djamena is prepared to “conduct its own investigations and invite the United Nations or any other international body to come to the field to carry out independent inquiries.”

The spokesperson reiterated that the ongoing state of emergency in the region is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of its inhabitants, with the army and security services permanently deployed there.

He also emphasized that the campaign against Boko Haram is built upon two essential pillars: security measures and socio-economic development. The state has made substantial investments in the area, he noted, to combat the indoctrination fostered by poverty and inadequate infrastructure.

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

On May 4 and 6, the jihadist group launched attacks on Chadian Army positions, resulting in multiple casualties. For N’Djamena, it is unequivocally Boko Haram that is responsible for the violence, not the Chadian Army.