Chad’s air force launched a swift response following the “devastating night assaults” by jihadist factions on the Barka Tolorom military installation. These attacks, occurring on May 4, tragically claimed the lives of 25 individuals, including two generals, and left 46 wounded. Reports indicate that “Chadian fighter jets are targeting islands in Lake Chad under Boko Haram control, situated near the borders shared by Nigeria, Niger, and Chad.” It has been further specified that “the aerial bombardments reportedly focused on Shuwa Island, a location identified as a jihadist stronghold and a prominent fishing hub frequented by Nigerian fishermen.”
The repercussions of these strikes are severe: “A representative from the Lake Chad fishermen’s union asserts that at least 40 Nigerian fishermen are currently missing and are presumed to have drowned during the shelling.” The majority of these presumed victims are said to originate from Doron Baga, a town located on the Nigerian side of the lake. This very community suffered a massacre in 2015 that resulted in the deaths of approximately 2,000 people.
Presently, the Nigerian press has offered no commentary on these allegations from its neighboring country, even as Nigeria’s own military frequently faces accusations of inadvertently bombing civilians. The most recent incident of this nature occurred just weeks ago, when aerial strikes
