An overnight attack by suspected Boko Haram jihadists on a Chadian military base has left at least 24 people dead, according to a military official and a regional administrator.
The Barka Tolorom base is located along the shores of Lake Chad, a region spanning Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of Niger and Nigeria, where its islands have long served as hideouts for militants from Boko Haram and other extremist groups.
The late Monday assault “left 25 dead and 46 wounded on the Chadian army side”, a security source told AFP.
A separate administrative official reported “24 dead and several wounded”.
Both sources attributed the attack to Boko Haram, with the administrator maintaining that “the situation is under control”.
“Once again, the nebulous Boko Haram terrorist group carried out a cowardly attack last night on our military base at Barka Tolorom,” said Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
“We will continue the fight with renewed determination until this threat is completely eradicated,” he added, while extending condolences to the victims’ families.
Attacks on military positions in the Lake Chad region have intensified in recent years. In October 2024, an ambush by Boko Haram fighters killed around 40 Chadian soldiers.
Recent months have also seen increased violence from the group’s JAS faction, including kidnappings and assaults on forward army positions, particularly on islands and along Niger’s section of the lake.
Following the October 2024 attack, Deby launched a counter-offensive, which he pledged to “personally” lead for two weeks.
After the operation concluded in February 2025, the Chadian military claimed that Boko Haram had “no more sanctuary on Chadian territory”.
However, the marshes and islands of Lake Chad continue to provide refuge not only for Boko Haram but also for its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province.
