regional military push forces boko haram fighters to flee lake Chad strongholds
A coordinated regional offensive involving air and ground operations has driven Boko Haram jihadists from their hideouts along Lake Chad, according to intelligence sources and eyewitness accounts.
joint military operations dismantle jihadist presence
Since Friday, Chadian forces, supported by Nigerian and Nigerien troops, have conducted airstrikes targeting remote islands in Lake Chad—a vast wetland spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. Once a safe haven for Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP), these areas have become increasingly contested.
The aerial bombardments have resulted in civilian casualties, including dozens of Nigerian fishermen who were killed while working on islands under Boko Haram control. The militants had imposed a tax on local fishermen operating in these zones.
fighters abandon key strongholds under bombardment
Eyewitnesses report that Boko Haram fighters, along with their families, have fled multiple islands in small boats under the pressure of sustained military strikes. Among the abandoned locations are Dogon Chukwu, Kangarwa, Gashakar, Yawan Mango, and Kwatar Mota.
A local fisherman, Suleiman Hassan, who recently arrived in Maiduguri after escaping the conflict zone, confirmed the exodus. “Boko Haram is retreating from the Shuwa area, near the borders of Nigeria, Niger, and Chad,” he stated. “Under heavy bombardment, their fighters are leaving in small canoes with their families.”
In a significant clash, Chadian troops engaged jihadists on Kaukeri Island, a long-standing stronghold of the group within the lake.
retaliation for deadly attacks on chadian forces
The offensive follows a series of deadly strikes by Boko Haram. Last week, Chad declared three days of national mourning after an ambush killed two high-ranking generals. Days earlier, an attack on a military base along the lake’s shores left at least 24 soldiers dead.
According to a Nigerian intelligence source, the operation is a tri-national effort: “The airstrikes are coordinated by Chad, Nigeria, and Niger, with each country deploying two fighter jets.” The source, who requested anonymity, added that jihadists and their families are now trapped along the lake’s edges, reluctant to advance into areas controlled by rival ISWAP factions.
escalating violence and regional response
The decade-long insurgency has left thousands dead and displaced millions, primarily in Nigeria’s northeast. The conflict has since spread to neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting these nations to reactivate their multinational joint force, established in 1994 to combat cross-border threats.
