A group of Boko Haram terrorists has reportedly killed no fewer than six military commanders of the Republic of Chad in a recent ambush.
A counter-insurgency expert in Lake Chad, Zagazola Makam, reported that the ambush occurred on Friday shortly after President Mahamat Idriss Déby departed the area to return urgently to the capital, Ndjamena.
Zagazola identified the deceased persons as General Youssouf Abdoulaye Kari, General Adoum Issa, Colonel Lony Allatchi, Lieutenant Colonel Gorou Wardougou, Adam Nassour Mahamat and Idrissa Malloum.
He said the terrorists also wounded others such as General François Tatiko, General Moubarack Formalick, Bokhit Bachar, Lieutenant Jean Pierre Medar, and Ibrahim Ali.
Zagazola wrote: “General Youssouf Abdoulaye Kari, a veteran respected by his forces and a former member of Chad’s contingent in Mali, was among those killed, leaving a significant void in the military leadership.
“The Chadian Army spokesperson, General Issakha Acheikh has issued a statement regarding a murderous ambush against the Chadian troops but refused to provide further details.
“He said that the General Staff of the Armed Forces brings to the attention of national and international opinion that after a meticulous reorganization of the units of the Defence and Security Forces, by the President of the Republic, Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces and, the well-ordered launch of Operation Haskanite to dislodge the Boko Haram terrorists from Lake Chad, a first clash took place today, Saturday 09 November 2024.
“He explained that after a few hours of fighting, several terrorist elements were neutralised and the raid continued while he added that the detailed balance sheet will be communicated to you later.”
The country recently lost about 40 soldiers in a raid by Boko Haram terrorists. This incident made Mahamat Idris Deby to threaten to pull the country’s troops out of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
While on a week-long visit to the country’s troops in the theatre of operation, President Deby decried the lack of coordination among MNJTF forces; which according to him paved the way for terrorists to strike occasionally.
He noted that the war was protracting unnecessarily and, therefore, threatened to withdraw the country’s military from the campaign.
MNJTF comprises troops from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, the Benin Republic and Chad.