Bloody: 38 Dead, Dozens Injured As Boko Haram Clashes With Military Forces

The Chadian army has launched a “major operation” to flush out Boko Haram jihadists from islands in Lake Chad, sparking violent clashes on Monday between soldiers and the Islamic State-affiliated group.

It is worthy of note that in the six-years of Boko haram insurgency, 13,000 lives have been lost and about 1.5 million people have fled their homes.

A Chadian security source who talked to AFP on Monday, July 27, said: “violent clashes” raged near Baga Sola, one of the main towns in the shallow, marshy waters of Lake Chad,. He added that Chadian forces had earlier “intercepted fleeing Boko Haram elements” around 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the southeast.

READ ALSO: Finally, Boko Haram Group Begs President Buhari For Peace Talks?

Reports have it that a military coalition against Boko Haram was set up early this year, headquartered in the Chadian capital N’Djamena. The coalition consisted of the four countries bordering the lake — Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger .

The security official said: “around 1,000 men positioned to occupy all the islands and neutralise Boko Haram.”

Information gathered reveals that the jihadists have ow affiliated with the Islamic State group, and  have been using the islands as a rear base after being routed from their traditional strongholds in Nigeria by the four-country offensive.

The network of hundreds of islets separated by channels hidden by tall grass provides cover for the militants to steal livestock and crops from local inhabitants.

READ ALSO: Boko Haram Kills 29 In Fresh Borno Attack, Locals Lament Over Absence Of Military

According to the security official, the Lake Chad clashes erupted Saturday, July 25, on midi Koutou island, leaving six Boko Haram fighters dead and 15 wounded.

A Chadian soldier was also said to have been killed. The source further informed that Boko Haram “kidnapped many women and children” as they fled Saturday’s fighting.

Local sources said that, following a request from the central Chadian government about two weeks ago, an operation was launched “to evacuate the islands” on the Chadian side of the lake and that about 90 percent of residents had been moved to the mainland since.

“The army forcibly entered almost all the (Chadian) islands,” the source said, adding the militants were dispersed across “mainly little islets and villages”.

Meanwhile, Femi Adesina, Nigerian presidential spokesman has said that Buhari  will travel to Cameroon on Wednesday for talks with his counterpart Paul Biya on the Boko Haram insurgency.

READ ALSO: General Buratai Establishes New Special Force To End Boko Haram

It is recalled that a new wave of violence has claimed 800 lives since the Nigerian president came to power in May vowing to crush the insurgency.

In recent days, a spate of Boko Haram raids and suicide bombings in the region have been encountered, with seven people killed in Cameroon at the weekend, three of whom were beheaded.

Earlier this month, Boko Haram claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombings in N’Djamena that left 38 people dead, the SITE Intelligence Group reported.

Three days later, at least 15 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at a crowded market in the Chadian capital.

On Monday, July 27, the European Union (EU) expressed solidarity with the anti-Boko Haram campaign.

READ ALSO: Two Army Generals Fight Dirty Over Top Position

In a statement, the EU said: “Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria are sparing no effort in fighting terrorism in the region… The European Union supports the efforts for comprehensive bilateral and regional cooperation to tackle these challenge.”

In another development, Cameroonian authorities have ordered the closure of all mosques and Islamic centres in the northern parts of the country.

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