A violent clash with suspected highway robbers in Chad’s northern Borkou province has left four army officers dead, including two high-ranking commanders, local and security sources reported on Wednesday.
The unrest began Tuesday night on the road between Faya and Kouba Oulanga when armed assailants ambushed a travel agency vehicle, killing the driver. The situation escalated Wednesday morning as a confrontation broke out between the attackers and the driver’s relatives, prompting an intervention by military units stationed in the provincial capital, Faya-Largeau.
According to unofficial reports, the subsequent heavy fighting claimed the lives of four officers. Among the fallen are the commander of the Gendarmerie legion and the head of the Chadian National and Nomadic Guard (GNNT) for the region. Security forces reportedly neutralized three of the attackers and captured a fourth during the operation.
In a swift administrative response, the Governor of Borkou province, General Djimta Ben Dergon, was suspended from his duties. The Minister of Territorial Administration, Limane Mahamat, issued a stinging rebuke, accusing the Governor of a “refusal to take responsibility” and “fleeing” during the crisis.
The incident highlights the persistent security challenges in Chad’s remote northern regions, where highway robbery and inter-communal tensions frequently intersect with military operations.
CA/ac/Sf/fss/abj/APA