Chad Declares Three Days of Mourning After Deadly Boko Haram Attacks in Lake Chad Basin
A fresh wave of violence in the Lake Chad Basin has forced the Chadian government to declare three days of national mourning after a Boko Haram ambush on Wednesday claimed the lives of two generals.
The announcement comes after an earlier assault two days before by the Nigeria-based armed group on the Barka Tolorom military base near Lake Chad, which reportedly killed at least 24 soldiers. The army stated that a “significant number” of attackers were also neutralised during the clash.
In a statement, the government said national mourning would run “from Wednesday, May 6 at midnight to Saturday, May 9 at midnight in memory of the martyrs who fell on the field of honour during the attacks by terrorist groups that occurred on May 4 and 6″.
The Lake Chad region, spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, has experienced renewed militant activity in recent months. The area’s islands and marshlands have become a stronghold for factions of Boko Haram, including the JAS group, which has intensified kidnappings and attacks on security forces.
The region also hosts fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a rival Boko Haram splinter faction that continues to operate in the area.
In October 2024, a similar attack on a military base in the Lake Chad Basin killed about 40 Chadian soldiers. Following that incident, President Mahamat Déby ordered a counteroffensive aimed at “destroying Boko Haram’s capacity to cause harm”.
Although the military later claimed in February 2025 that Boko Haram no longer had sanctuary on Chadian territory, attacks on security personnel have persisted.
