Chad’s military said it had carried out air strikes against Boko Haram bases in Nigeria in retaliation for twin suicide bombings in Chad this week that killed at least 34 people. Nigeria (embarrassed by Chad’s need to attack terrorist enclaves in its territory) denied that an attack took place.
The air raids caused heavy human and material damage to six of the Islamist militants’ bases, Chad’s military said late on Wednesday.
The obvious mendacity of the Nigerians for the purpose of saving face raises serious questions about their fitness to lead a multi-national force. The Nigerians act as if command is their entitlement, rather than a reward for competent leadership that achieves effective results.
On 18 June, Chad announced tighter security measures, including a ban on head-to-toe burqas and turbans in the capital. A news correspondent in N’Djamena said he had not seen any women wearing burqas on the streets since Wednesday’s announcement.
A few hours after Chad’s announcement, Boko Haram militants attacked two villages in neighboring Niger’s southern region of Diffa, security sources said. The attackers drove into the villages in the Gueskerou area, along the banks of the Komadugu River which separates Niger and Nigeria, in cars and on motorbikes and shot residents before setting fire to the thatched houses where others were hiding.

“In all, at least 30 were killed. Some of them died when the houses were set alight,” said one of the security officials. He said he expected the death toll to rise as a number of survivors had suffered serious burns.

The French continue to take a keen interest in Boko Haram activities in Niger (France’s source for uranium – 80% of the electric power in France comes from nuclear power plants). They also back the government of Chad and have deployed the Foreign Legion in both areas when necessary to bolster local resolve to fight back against the terrorists.
The Foreign Legion is still popular in France, where the citizens would rather send foreigners to Africa to spend their blood than to send French conscripts. 
There have been feint moves within the US Government to establish a foreign legion of its own, but rules on racial balance, gender equality and politically correct rules of engagement are generally thought to neuter the concept.

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8 COMMENTS

  1. The French seem to keep a very low profile but they're not shy of sending in troops when they see the need… at least that's the way it seems to me.

  3. I think that's true. I've worked with the French and have been to their intelligence center, referred to as the "swimming pool". They're competent and don't mind breaking a few heads when it's called for.

    The US mystifies them. It mystifies me too.

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