The Chadian government has firmly denied claims that its military targeted civilians in recent airstrikes on the Lake Chad region, following reports from local sources that fishermen in Nigeria were killed during the operation.
In response to a Boko Haram attack that killed over 40 soldiers at a Chadian military base, Chad’s army launched an air raid on Wednesday targeting Tilma Island, located on the Nigerian side of Lake Chad. Fishermen and a local militia group alleged that the strike resulted in civilian casualties, but the Chadian government rejected these accusations.
Chad’s spokesperson, Abderaman Koulamallah, stated that military actions were “organized and disciplined, scrupulously careful never to target civilians.” However, a Chadian general acknowledged the challenge in distinguishing between civilians and militants, as Boko Haram fighters often blend in with local fishermen and farmers.
Eyewitnesses, including Nigerian fisherman Sallau Arzika, described the chaos of the strike, reporting that the fighter jet encircled Tilma Island before dropping bombs, scattering bodies across the area.
Chad’s government dismissed the allegations as “false,” intended to cause confusion, and stressed that all operations specifically target militant groups. President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who visited the site of the attack, is reportedly leading the counter-offensive against Boko Haram and Islamic State-affiliated militants hiding in Lake Chad’s islands. The conflict, originating in Nigeria in 2009, has spread to nearby nations, claiming approximately 40,000 lives and displacing millions across the region.
