Gassim Chérif Mahamat, Chad’s Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, stated to the national press on Thursday that “These accusations are designed to discredit the Chadian army and could undermine its integrity. The Chadian armed forces remain professional and are at the forefront of the fight against terrorism across the Sahel and within the Lake Chad basin.”
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on Wednesday called for “independent” investigations following reports of bombings in northeastern Nigeria, allegedly carried out by Nigerian and Chadian forces, which are said to have resulted in dozens of fatalities. Türk emphasized in a statement that “It is crucial for both Nigerian and Chadian authorities to conduct swift, thorough, independent, and impartial inquiries into these disturbing incidents.”
The Nigerian army, for its part, asserted that its operations targeted a “confirmed terrorist structure, exclusively occupied by non-state armed actors who posed a direct threat to civilian lives.”
Chadian authorities pledge commitment to transparency
Government spokesperson Gassim Chérif Mahamat reiterated Chad’s readiness to initiate investigations, while simultaneously accusing Boko Haram of disrupting coexistence among communities and perpetrating daily acts of terror against residents in already vulnerable areas. He elaborated, “Operating with a commitment to transparency, the Chadian state is prepared to conduct investigations. We possess an independent judiciary and institutions capable of carrying out inquiries with complete openness.”
Volker Türk had previously urged the armed forces of both nations to “exercise every possible precaution to avoid striking civilians,” underscoring that military operations must adhere to international humanitarian law and human rights principles. He firmly stated, “Civilians and their property must never be the target of attacks.”
Since 2009, this expansive area of water and marshlands, bordering Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, has become a formidable jihadist stronghold, providing refuge to both Boko Haram fighters and militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
