Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has hinted at a possible withdrawal of Chadian troops from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) following a deadly Boko Haram attack on Chadian soldiers in Barkaram on October 27. Following the incident, President Deby personally took command of military operations along the Lake Chad border.
A statement from Chad’s Director General of Communication, Hassan Abdelkerim Bouyëbri, expressed the president’s concern over the lack of coordinated efforts within the MNJTF, pointing to what he described as a declining unity within the coalition.
President Deby has since launched “Operation Haskanite” to eliminate remaining Boko Haram fighters, bolstering border defenses and establishing a local command post to intensify Chad’s counter-insurgency efforts. He stressed his commitment to national security but indicated that Chad may reconsider its role in the MNJTF if joint actions do not improve.
Formed in 1994, the MNJTF, comprising forces from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, was initially created to tackle cross-border crime but expanded its mission in 2012 to combat terrorism across the Lake Chad Basin.
