N’Djamena defends professional conduct of Chadian armed forces

The Chadian government’s spokesperson, Gassim Chérif Mahamat, condemned on Thursday what he described as attempts to « undermine the credibility of the Chadian army ». He emphasized that the country’s military remains « highly professional » and fully committed to combating terrorism across the Sahel and Lake Chad regions. His remarks follow a United Nations human rights statement alleging that Chadian and Nigerian airstrikes in Nigeria’s northeast resulted in dozens of civilian deaths.

UN urges swift, independent investigations

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on Wednesday for « prompt, thorough, independent and impartial » investigations by both Chadian and Nigerian authorities. He stressed that military operations must adhere strictly to international humanitarian law, stating that « civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted ». Türk also urged armed forces to take « all possible precautions » to prevent civilian harm.

Chad commits to transparency in potential probes

Despite rejecting the allegations, the Chadian government affirmed its readiness to conduct investigations. Gassim Chérif Mahamat highlighted the country’s « independent judicial system », capable of ensuring transparent inquiries. Nigeria’s military, for its part, maintained that its strikes targeted « confirmed terrorist structures », denying any civilian presence in the areas hit.

Lake Chad basin remains a jihadist stronghold

For over fifteen years, the Lake Chad basin has emerged as a major jihadist hotspot in Africa. This vast, marshy area—shared by Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad—serves as a haven for Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP). Regional militaries conduct regular counterterrorism operations here amid persistent security instability.