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Boko Haram Carries Out First Attack in Chad With Attack, Boko Haram Makes Chad Its 4th Target
(about 7 hours later)
DAKAR, Senegal — Boko Haram widened its attacks to a fourth country early on Friday, striking a village in Chad for the first time. DAKAR, Senegal — Boko Haram widened its attacks to a fourth country early on Friday, striking a village in Chad for the first time.
Members of the Islamist militant group have killed thousands of people in their home territory, Nigeria, and have carried out deadly attacks in neighboring Cameroon and Niger. Members of Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group, have killed thousands of people in their home territory, Nigeria, and have carried out deadly attacks in neighboring Cameroon and Niger.
On Friday, they sped across Lake Chad before daybreak on four motorized canoes, intent on doing the same in Chad, a nation whose military has begun fighting Boko Haram in the region, a spokesman for the Chadian military said.On Friday, they sped across Lake Chad before daybreak on four motorized canoes, intent on doing the same in Chad, a nation whose military has begun fighting Boko Haram in the region, a spokesman for the Chadian military said.
The militants attacked the village of Ngouboua at the lake’s edge as residents slept — a standard tactic of the group — and the village chief was killed in the attack, according to a crawler on Chadian state television, which otherwise did not report the episode in its midday news broadcast. The militants attacked Ngouboua, a village at the lake’s edge, as residents slept — a standard tactic of the group — and the village chief was killed in the attack, according to a text “crawler” on Chadian state television, which otherwise did not report the episode in its midday news broadcast.
Two of the militants were killed as they were pushed back by the military, along with one Chadian soldier, a military spokesman, Col. Azem Bermandoua Agouna, said in a statement. Colonel Azem said the village chief was “killed by a stray bullet.” Two militants were killed as they were pushed back by the military, along with one Chadian soldier, a military spokesman, Col. Azem Bermandoua Agouna, said in a statement. Colonel Azem said the village chief was “killed by a stray bullet.”
Thousands of Nigerian refugees escaping Boko Haram were living in the village, according to a United Nations official in Chad, and many have begun to flee what remains of Ngouboua — much of it was burned by the attackers — on foot, said the official, Mamadou Dian Balde. Thousands of Nigerian refugees escaping Boko Haram were living in the village, according to a United Nations official in Chad, Mamadou Dian Balde, who said many on foot had begun to flee what remains of Ngouboua, much of which was burned by the attackers.
The village chief who was killed, Mai Koleye, was “one of the greatest champions of refugees in the area,” Mr. Balde said.The village chief who was killed, Mai Koleye, was “one of the greatest champions of refugees in the area,” Mr. Balde said.
Mr. Koleye had welcomed the Nigerians, shared meals with them and willingly hosted them, Mr. Balde said. “It is quite a poor area, but it is a very generous population.”Mr. Koleye had welcomed the Nigerians, shared meals with them and willingly hosted them, Mr. Balde said. “It is quite a poor area, but it is a very generous population.”
As regional militaries have entered the fight against Boko Haram, the group has responded by killing civilians beyond the Nigerian border in the three countries bordering northeastern Nigeria, which is its birthplace and stronghold. As regional militaries have entered the fight against Boko Haram, the group has responded by killing civilians in the three countries bordering northeastern Nigeria, which is its birthplace and stronghold.
Chad has been particularly aggressive since engaging with Boko Haram over the last month, entering Nigerian territory to take back a village from the militants and focusing thousands of troops on fighting the group. Chad has been particularly aggressive since engaging with Boko Haram over the past month, entering Nigerian territory to take back a village from the militants and focusing thousands of troops on fighting the group.
Chad has used its oil money to reinforce its army with frequent weapons purchases, an urgent priority for the government of President Idriss Déby, which has come under repeated internal attack from rebel groups over the years.Chad has used its oil money to reinforce its army with frequent weapons purchases, an urgent priority for the government of President Idriss Déby, which has come under repeated internal attack from rebel groups over the years.
As a result, Chad’s army is now considered by analysts the most capable of the four currently engaged in the fight with Boko Haram, and its villages have become a natural target for the group. Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, recently released a video on YouTube in which he mocked the forces arrayed against him, especially Chad’s. As a result, Chad’s army is now considered by analysts to be the most capable of the four engaged in the fight with Boko Haram, and its villages have become a natural target for the group. Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, recently released a video on YouTube in which he mocked the forces arrayed against him, especially Chad’s.
“Faced with the determination of our forces, the attackers fled back to Nigeria,” Colonel Azem said in a statement. “Mop-up operations are continuing.”“Faced with the determination of our forces, the attackers fled back to Nigeria,” Colonel Azem said in a statement. “Mop-up operations are continuing.”
“We pushed them back, that’s all,” Colonel Azem added by telephone from the Chadian capital, Ndjamena, before hanging up. The chief local official, Gen. Banyanan Kossingar, who is governor of the Lake Chad region, said he was traveling in the capital and knew nothing about the attack, before hanging up.“We pushed them back, that’s all,” Colonel Azem added by telephone from the Chadian capital, Ndjamena, before hanging up. The chief local official, Gen. Banyanan Kossingar, who is governor of the Lake Chad region, said he was traveling in the capital and knew nothing about the attack, before hanging up.
Nigerian media on Friday reported further attacks by Boko Haram against citizens in its home base of Borno State, with a bomb blast in the market town of Biu, crowded with refugees, killing at least seven. Nigerian news media on Friday reported further attacks by Boko Haram against citizens in its home base, Borno State, with a bomb blast in Biu, a market town crowded with refugees, killing at least seven.
There were also signs of strain in the fragile four-nation coalition against Boko Haram, with defense officials of Niger and Nigeria trading insults, and the Nigerian military spokesman posting angry messages on Twitter criticizing Niger for perceived insults aimed at the country’s soldiers, according to Nigerian media. There were also signs of strain in the fragile four-nation coalition against Boko Haram, with defense officials of Niger and Nigeria trading insults. The Nigerian military spokesman posted angry messages on Twitter criticizing Niger for perceived insults aimed at the country’s soldiers, according to Nigerian news media.
Nigerian soldiers, often poorly equipped, have repeatedly abandoned their positions in the face of Boko Haram attacks, according to numerous accounts, a reputation that has become a source of tension within the coalition.Nigerian soldiers, often poorly equipped, have repeatedly abandoned their positions in the face of Boko Haram attacks, according to numerous accounts, a reputation that has become a source of tension within the coalition.