Military operations force Boko Haram fighters to flee Lake Chad region

Jihadist fighters from the notorious group Boko Haram have abandoned their strongholds on Lake Chad following coordinated aerial and ground assaults by joint military forces from Chad, Nigeria, and Niger. Local testimonies and security sources in Nigeria confirm the fighters fled from islands such as Dogon Chukwu, Kangarwa, and Gashakar with their families.

Targets hit as jihadists abandon key hideouts

Since Friday, the Chadian military has conducted intensive airstrikes targeting remote jihadist positions on Lake Chad—shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. Fighters reportedly evacuated islands like Dogon Chukwu, Kangarwa, and Gashakar using small boats. Clashes were also reported on Kaukeri Island, identified as a major Boko Haram stronghold in the area.

Civilian casualties reported in military operations

Military actions have not spared civilians. Dozens of Nigerian fishermen working on Boko Haram-controlled islands are believed to have perished in the bombings. Graphic videos show critically injured victims receiving treatment at a hospital in Bosso, Niger. Many fishermen in this region continue working under jihadist influence, often paying extortion taxes imposed by Boko Haram to access fishing zones.

Joint military response follows deadly ambushes

These operations come in response to recent deadly attacks on Chadian troops. Last week, Chad declared three days of national mourning after two high-ranking generals were killed in an ambush. Days earlier, another assault on a military base along the lake’s shores left at least 24 soldiers dead. According to a Nigerian intelligence source, the airstrikes were coordinated among Chad, Nigeria, and Niger, with each country deploying two fighter jets.

Ongoing insurgency devastates Lake Chad basin

The Boko Haram insurgency and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province, have claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions across the Lake Chad basin since 2009. With violence escalating in neighboring countries, regional states have reactivated the Multinational Joint Task Force to intensify the fight against armed jihadist groups.