Chad Attacked by Boko Haram Terrorists: Nigeria and Roles of Chad and France
Paul Joseph Nzeribe, Lielit Kebede and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Regional nations are now helping Nigeria in its war against the Takfiri Islamist group called Boko Haram. However, true to the nature of Boko Haram then this terrorist organization is now launching attacks against other nations, for example Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Indeed, the latest attack by Boko Haram that occurred in Chad was the first assault launched against this nation. This clearly is related to regional nations helping Nigeria because recent attacks have also took place in Cameroon and Niger.
Not surprisingly, Chad was targeted because the armed forces of this nation are respected for having elite units. Also, recent statements by Chad stress that their armed forces inflicted heavy losses upon Boko Haram terrorists. Therefore, Boko Haram is intent on expanding its Takfiri ideology and struggle against other deemed enemies, irrespective if this means butchering fellow Muslims along with killing Christians.
Recently Cameroon witnessed a brutal massacre by Boko Haram terrorist forces in Fotokol. This massacre took place shortly after Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria launched a collective military attack against Boko Haram. Indeed, the timing of the massacre in Fotokol was a clear warning to Cameroon that Boko Haram will counter military attacks against them, by counter-attacking against innocent civilians. In other words, Boko Haram hopes to break the “collective will” of regional nations based on the fear factor.
France 24 reports on the first attack to take place in Chad by stating: “Boko Haram Islamist fighters on Friday carried out their first attack inside Chad, killing five people in an early morning assault on a Chadian village and a military camp on the shores of Lake Chad, residents and a security source said.”
In another article by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated: “It remains to be seen how the proposed African Union (AU) will fund and galvanize a regional multinational force of at least 7,500 armed forces. After all, with so many conflicts from Mali to Somalia, to name only a few, then clearly the AU is overstretched. In this sense, greater international support is needed but nations like Nigeria with an abundance of natural resources should also be held accountable for squandering so much energy wealth.”
It equally remains to be seen how people in Cameroon, Chad and Niger will respond if attacks continue to persist by Boko Haram. If the armed forces of several regional nations impact positively against Boko Haram Takfiri forces, then all will be fine domestically within nations like Cameroon, Chad and Niger. However, if Boko Haram manages to launch fresh terrorist attacks in the above named nations then clearly internal pressure will build up. Therefore, the current situation is extremely delicate and it doesn’t help when Nigeria appears to be blighted by ineptness and political opportunism.
The BBC reports: “Chad recently joined Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon in a military coalition against Boko Haram … The jihadists, who want to create their own Islamic caliphate in Nigeria, have killed thousands and forced millions to flee their homes in north-eastern Nigeria since 2009.”
It is known that France is helping regional nations in their fight against Boko Haram by providing various forms of support. This is a far cry from the negative involvement of France in the Libya debacle and intrigues against secular Syria. However, just like in Mali, then France is playing a positive role in the war against Boko Haram even if the involvement isn’t direct.
Reuters reports: “Nearly two years after a French-led operation liberated the north of Mali from al Qaeda-linked rebels, France has headquartered a 3,200-strong Sahel counter-insurgency force, Barkhane, in the Chadian capital N’Djamena, some 50 km (30 miles) from the Nigerian border.”
The above reality is helping France to provide intelligence sharing among regional nations that are partaking in the fight against Boko Haram. At the same time, the professionalism of the armed forces of Chad is seen to be instrumental in the regional war against Boko Haram.
Business Insider highlights the importance of the relationship between France and Chad by stating: “Chad boasts by far the mightiest army in the region, and is France’s main African military ally. Chadian soldiers provided irreplaceable ground help chasing Islamist militias that had taken control of northern Mali into the desert, as French power struck from the air.”
http://www.france24.com/en/20150213-boko-haram-chad-deadly-attack/
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31453951
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/05/us-nigeria-violence-france-idUSKBN0L928K20150205
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