AFRICA/CHAD - Civilians killed in Chadian air strikes against suspected jihadists

N'Djamena (Fides News Agency) - Aircraft belonging to the Chadian armed forces attacked Nigerian Boko Haram jihadists on the shores of Lake Chad, resulting in civilian casualties.
According to local sources, the bombings killed several dozen fishermen who – with the jihadists' permission – continued to cast their nets in the lake, which borders Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. At least 40 fishermen are missing.
The airstrikes, which have been ongoing since May 8, are a response to a jihadist attack on Chadian soldiers on May 4, in which 23 soldiers were killed. At least 27 people, including 11 soldiers and 16 jihadists, died in another clash on the shores of Lake Chad on May 6.
In addition to the presence of jihadists, instability in the Lake Chad region stems from conflicts between farmers and herders, affecting large areas in the south, center, and east of the country. Members of the Zaghawa ethnic groups, in particular, are accused of plundering the livestock of local people in the lake region, allegedly protected by high-ranking army personnel. Attacks on Chadian soldiers are reportedly carried out not only by jihadists but also by local herders whose livestock has been stolen.
Analysts estimate that conflicts between farmers and herders resulted in over a thousand deaths and approximately two thousand injuries between 2021 and 2024.
At the end of the Regina Caeli prayer service this Sunday, Pope Leo XIV recalled the insecurity in several Sahel countries. “I have learned with deep concern of the reports regarding the growing violence in the Sahel region, particularly in Chad and Mali, which have recently suffered terrorist attacks. I offer the assurance of my heartfelt prayers for the victims and my spiritual closeness to all those who are suffering as a result of the tragic events. I fervently hope that every form of violence may cease, and I encourage all efforts aimed at fostering peace and development in that beloved land,” the Pope said. (L.M.) (Fides News Agency, 11/5/2026)

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