July 22, 2026

Ouaga Press

Independent English-language coverage of Burkina Faso's most pressing news and developments.

Boko Haram resurgence in Lake Chad region sparks security concerns

Chadian soldiers board a Multinational Joint Task Force boat at a military base in Lake Chad Province on May 6, 2026. Chad declared three days of national mourning after a new attack by Boko Haram jihadists on May 6 that killed two generals in the volatile Lake Chad Basin. Chadian soldiers are frequently targeted by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region, a vast expanse of water and marshland dotted with islands, located between Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. (Photo by Joris Bolomey / AFP)

In a bold declaration following a devastating assault, Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno reaffirmed his nation’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism. On May 5, he took to social media to declare, « We will pursue this fight with renewed vigor until this scourge is completely eradicated ». His statement came in response to a brazen attack carried out by a Boko Haram splinter faction on the Barka Tolorom military base, situated along Chad’s Lake Chad shoreline.