Chad: Suspected militants kill four soldiers in Lake Chad area December 2

Event

Suspected Boko Haram militants attacked a military outpost located between Ngouboua and Baga Sola (Lake Chad area) at approximately 01:30 (local time) on Monday, December 2. At least four soldiers were killed and three others injured in the attack. According to military sources, at least 13 militants were also killed in the attack.

A heightened security presence is expected in the area in the near term. Similar Boko Haram attacks are possible in Lake Chad over the near term.

Context

The targeted military outpost was put in place following the abduction of three employees from the Ministry of Health in the area on October 30. As of early December, their whereabouts remain unknow.

Although the regional counterinsurgency effort against Boko Haram that began in 2015 - led by West African states Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger - has greatly diminished the extent of their effective territorial control, the group continues to routinely carry out deadly terrorist attacks. Boko Haram's stronghold is in northeastern Nigeria, where the majority of its activities are concentrated.

Advice

Individuals in Chad, especially in the Lake Chad area, are advised to monitor developments to the situation, remain vigilant for militant activity, limit time in areas deemed particularly likely to be targeted in a terrorist attack (e.g. crowded markets, etc.), and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.