N’Djamena challenges un over civilian casualty claims in anti-Boko Haram operations

The Chadian government has unequivocally rejected allegations from the United Nations concerning civilian fatalities during aerial assaults 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 Nigerian and Chadian forces, reportedly resulted in approximately one hundred civilian deaths across northeastern Nigeria and Chad. Some of these casualties were said to have occurred during operations against Boko Haram, prompting the UN to call for a thorough inquiry.

Gassim Chérif Mahamat, the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, characterized these accusations as unfounded. “We respond with astonishment. These serious allegations seek to undermine the Chadian Army’s reputation, even as it stands on the front lines in the battle against terrorism throughout the Sahel and the Lake Chad region. Our army is a professional force with a proven track record,” he asserted.

According to the Minister, the areas targeted by Chadian aviation contained “neither civilians nor fishermen.” He further added, “Currently, no formal proof substantiates these accusations,” while clarifying that N’Djamena is prepared to “conduct its own investigations and welcome the United Nations or any other international body to the field to carry out independent inquiries.”

The spokesperson reiterated that the state of emergency currently in effect across the zone is designed to safeguard the security and well-being of the local populations, with military and security services maintaining a constant presence.

He also underscored that the strategy for combating Boko Haram rests on two fundamental pillars: security measures and socio-economic development. He highlighted that the state has made substantial investments in the area to counteract indoctrination, which is often exacerbated by poverty and inadequate infrastructure.

“Chad bears the heaviest burden, through its people and its continuously mobilized army,” emphasized Gassim Chérif Mahamat. He reminded that Chad is not the sole nation bordering Lake Chad and maintains close cooperation with Nigeria in the ongoing fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.

Earlier, on May 4 and 6, the jihadist group launched attacks on Chadian Army positions, causing numerous fatalities and injuries. For N’Djamena, the responsibility for these acts of violence lies squarely with Boko Haram, not with the Chadian Army.