Fighting between Chad soldiers, Boko Haram kills dozens

Those killed included 63 suspected terrorists and seven soldiers in clashes following an overnight attack on a military base in Bouhama, according to a military spokesman. Boko Haram has struck inside Chad at least seven times since last year.

In this file photo, a convoy of Chadian soldiers stop near the front line in the war against Boko Haram in Gambaru, February 26, 2015.
Reuters Archive

In this file photo, a convoy of Chadian soldiers stop near the front line in the war against Boko Haram in Gambaru, February 26, 2015.

Fighting between Chad soldiers and Boko Haram militants killed dozens, including 63 "terrorists," in an overnight attack on a military base, an army spokesman said on Monday.

At least seven soldiers were killed and 15 wounded when "terrorists attacked our forces at midnight in Bouhama ... in the Lake Chad region," Colonel Azem Bermandoa said.

He added "63 terrorists were killed" and the search for other attackers continued.

Chad's Defence Minister Daoud Yaya Brahim and army chief of staff Taher Erda were on their way to the scene of the fighting on Monday to "evaluate the situation," Azem said.

Last month, 23 soldiers were killed in the Lake Chad region in the deadliest attack yet on the Chadian army by Boko Haram, which launched an insurgency in Nigeria a decade ago.

The unrest has spread to neighbouring Niger and Chad with Boko Haram militancy claiming more than 27,000 lives and uprooting more than 1.7 million people.

Troops from Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria have been grouped into a mixed, multi-national force to fight Boko Haram.

Since June last year, Boko Haram has struck inside Chad at least seven times.

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