Maghreb Edition

Sahel: Boko Haram kills more civilians in western ChadF



Posted On 20 January 2020

Number of times this article was read : 322

N’Djamena, Jan 20, 2020 – Nine civilians died in western Chad after a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives in an area targeted in the past by jihadist group Boko Haram, the army and officials said on Monday.
Chad is one of the countries struggling with the jihadist violence that has spilled over from Nigeria’s decades-long Islamist insurgency. The attack took place overnight Sunday in the village of Kaiga Kindjiria. “A suicide bomber blew herself up yesterday in Kaiga Kindjiria, killing nine people, two women and seven men,” an army source said.

The toll was confirmed by Chadian army spokesman Colonel Azem Bermandoa. “It is Boko Haram, There is no doubt,” the spokesman said. Kaiga-Kindjiria, a village of about 7,000 people, is located near the vast Lake Chad region where militants hide out among islets and marshlands to launch attacks on Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger. In August, a suicide bomber killed five civilians and a soldier in the same village. Militants also killed four Chadian villagers and kidnapped four women near Lake Chad earlier this month. Boko Haram began in Nigeria but its attacks have spread to neighbouring countries. A faction affiliated with the Islamic State group, ISWAP, is
particularly active around Lake Chad.

The suicide attack in western Chad came as French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly visited the Chad capital N’Djamena, where she met her Chadian counterpart on Monday morning. Countries in the region have banded together to fight Boko Haram and ISWAP with support from civilian defence committees. In early January, 1,200 Chadian troops, deployed as part of the regional force in Nigeria, returned to Chad to be redeployed around the Lake, where attacks have multiplied in recent months.

The jihadist conflict in northeast Nigeria has killed 35,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes as well as spilling over its borders. The jihadists have splintered into rival factions, with one group loyal to
long-time Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and the other pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group.

By AFP

Podcast: Development Without Aid: Power, Politics, and Local Resilience in the Global South$

A conversation with Dr. Kate Schecter, President and CEO of World Neighbors, on how community-led development works in practice across the Global South.

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako✓

Mali’s military government lost Kidal to a joint FLA-JNIM offensive on April 26, 2026, after Russian Africa Corps personnel and Malian troops withdrew under rebel escort. The fall of the city, retaken by Bamako with Russian support in November 2023, exposes the limits of the junta’s sovereignty narrative and raises serious questions about the durability of Mali’s security model.

Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali$

Armed groups in northern Mali are shifting toward repeatable FPV drone strikes against Malian army and Russian-linked Africa Corps positions. Recent attacks in Anéfis and Aguelhok indicate a tactical evolution that challenges the assumption of operational sanctuary in the Kidal region.

Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity$

Niger has formalized local self-defense units known as Domol Leydi as violence intensifies across its borders, reflecting a shift toward community-based security in response to expanding militant activity and limited state reach.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.