Seventy-one Chadian soldiers have been
killed and 416 injured in two-and-a-half
months’ fighting Boko Haram, the Chadian
army said
on Friday.
Chad is taking part in a regional offensive
against the Nigeria-based Islamist radicals
along with troops from Nigeria, Niger and
Cameroon.
Chad army chief General Brahim Seid told
reporters in N’Djamena the “valiant
soldiers” had died since February 3 in the
“just and noble cause of bringing peace
and security” to the region.
The countries neighbouring Nigeria,
including Chad, sent troops to help crush
Boko Haram after the Islamists began to
threaten the region surrounding Lake Chad,
where the borders of all four nations
converge.
Nigeria‘s army has been criticised for
failing to deal with Boko Haram fighters
whose bid to set up a hardline Islamic state
has killed more than 15,000 people since
2009 and put scores of thousands to flight,
according to the UN.
The UN on Thursday launched an appeal
for $174 million to give “life-saving aid” to
the almost 200,000 Nigerians who have
fled the country due to the group’s brutal
attacks.
