President Deby seized immediate command of military activities along the Lake Chad border following the October 27 attack on a Chadian army station in Barkaram.
The President is evaluating the incident’s impact, according to a statement from Chad’s Director General of Communication Hassan Abdelkerim Bouyëbri. He also voiced concern about the coalition’s deteriorating unity, saying, “The MNJTF’s lack of coordinated action against Boko Haram shows the coalition’s waning commitment to this shared struggle.”
President Deby has supervised the interment of fallen soldiers, provided medical attention for wounded soldiers, and set up a local command post to direct counter-insurgency operations since reaching the frontline on October 28.
Additionally, he strengthened Chad’s border fortifications, announced Operation Haskanite to eliminate any remaining Boko Haram fighters, and provided ideas to counter the extremists’ asymmetric warfare techniques.
President Deby reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding Chad’s population and combating security threats, but he also hinted that if the task force’s collective action does not improve, Chad may reevaluate its participation in the MNJTF.
Originally formed in 1994 to combat cross-border crime, the MNJTF, which now includes forces from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, was extended in 2012 to include counterterrorism efforts throughout the Lake Chad Basin.
