Air strikes target jihadist hideouts

Since Friday, Chadian forces have conducted precision airstrikes against Boko Haram positions on remote islands in Lake Chad, a sprawling marshland shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Local sources report that fighters abandoned islands including Dogon Chukwu, Kangarwa and Gashakar using small boats, often with family members in tow. Clashes also erupted on Kaukeri Island, identified as one of the group’s primary strongholds in the area.

Civilian casualties reported

Military operations have unfortunately impacted civilians. Nigerian fishermen working on islands under Boko Haram control were reportedly killed during the bombing raids. Footage obtained shows critically injured victims receiving treatment at a hospital in Bosso, Niger. In this region, many fishermen continue operating in areas under jihadist influence, where they are forced to pay extortion taxes imposed by Boko Haram to access fishing grounds.

Counteroffensive follows deadly attacks

These military actions come in response to a series of deadly assaults targeting Chadian forces. Last week, Chad declared three days of national mourning after two high-ranking generals were killed in an ambush. Days earlier, an attack on a military base along Lake Chad’s shores resulted in at least 24 soldier fatalities. According to a Nigerian intelligence source, air operations are being coordinated among Chad, Nigeria and Niger, with each country deploying two fighter jets.

A region still gripped by instability

The insurgency led by Boko Haram and its rival, Islamic State West Africa Province, has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions across the Lake Chad basin since 2009. As violence spreads to neighboring countries, regional states have reinvigorated their multinational joint task force to intensify efforts against armed jihadist factions.