Chad Declares National Mourning After Boko Haram Attacks Kill Soldiers and Two Generals

Chad has declared three days of national mourning after Boko Haram attacks in the Lake Chad Basin killed soldiers, including two generals. The attacks targeted a military base and patrol boats, prompting a vow by authorities to intensify the fight against terrorism in the region.

Chad has declared three days of national mourning after a deadly series of coordinated attacks by Boko Haram militants in the Lake Chad Basin left senior military officers, including two generals, among the dead and caused heavy military losses.
The violence began on Monday evening with a major assault on the Barka Tolorom military base located on the Chadian shoreline of Lake Chad. According to a military source, the attack left at least 24 soldiers dead and several others wounded. The base, which is part of ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the region, came under intense attack by armed militants suspected to be Boko Haram fighters, highlighting the persistent security challenges faced by Chadian forces in the area.
The situation escalated further on Wednesday afternoon when security and defence forces conducting patrols on Lake Chad’s islands were ambushed. An officer from the General Staff told AFP that the patrol boats were caught in a surprise attack while navigating the lake’s complex network of waterways and islands. During this ambush, two generals were killed, marking a significant blow to Chad’s military leadership and underscoring the increasing boldness of militant operations in the region.
Following these incidents, the Chadian government issued an official statement declaring a period of national mourning from midnight Wednesday, May 6, until midnight Saturday, May 9. The mourning period is intended to honour “the martyrs who fell on the field of honour” during the attacks carried out on May 4 and May 6. As part of the national observance, flags across the country will be flown at half-mast, and all public festivities and celebratory events have been banned for the duration.
The government also reiterated its commitment to continuing military operations against extremist groups. President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno stated that Chad would pursue the fight against terrorism with renewed determination until such threats are completely eradicated from its territory.
The Lake Chad Basin, a vast and strategically significant region shared by Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Niger, has for years served as a stronghold for Boko Haram and its splinter faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The area’s geography—characterised by islands, marshlands, and difficult terrain—has made it a difficult battleground for regional military forces attempting to root out insurgent groups.
Since 2009, the region has witnessed repeated waves of insurgent violence, with Boko Haram establishing bases in remote islands that allow fighters to evade military operations. In recent months, there has been a noticeable resurgence in attacks, including kidnappings, raids on military posts, and ambushes on security patrols.
In October 2024, one of the deadliest attacks in recent years saw approximately 40 Chadian soldiers killed during an assault on a military base in the same region. In response, the government launched Operation Haskanite, a large-scale military campaign aimed at dismantling Boko Haram’s operational capacity and eliminating its presence in Chad.
The Chadian army later announced the conclusion of the counteroffensive in February 2025, claiming that Boko Haram no longer maintained any safe havens within Chadian territory. However, the latest attacks demonstrate that despite these claims, militant groups continue to operate across the Lake Chad Basin and retain the capacity to launch deadly assaults on military positions.
The renewed violence has raised concerns about regional security and the effectiveness of long-running counterterrorism efforts in the Lake Chad area, where multiple countries continue to struggle with insurgent groups that exploit difficult terrain and porous borders to sustain their operations.