Tripoli has denounced a deadly attack on a Chadian military base, warning of growing regional instability across the Sahel and calling for enhanced security coordination.
Libya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the Government of National Unity (GNU), on May 7 condemned the assault on a military base in western Chad that left several Chadian troops dead.
In an official statement, Tripoli described the onslaught as a “terrorist act” and underscored its direct implications for regional security. N’Djamena reported 23 soldiers killed and 26 wounded in the attack, which has been claimed by Boko Haram.
The response comes amid an already fragile security climate in the Sahel, where a surge in armed activity continues to test cross-border coordination.
The Libyan authorities said such attacks “pose a grave threat to stability” not only in Chad but across the wider Sahelo-Saharan belt, a region defined by porous borders and the free movement of armed groups.
In its statement, the ministry reaffirmed its rejection of “all forms of terrorism, extremism and violence,” while calling for stronger regional cooperation. Tripoli stressed the need for a coordinated response among neighbouring states, noting that existing mechanisms remain inadequate to contain groups capable of launching lethal strikes on established military targets.
The position also highlights a broader dynamic, in which regional states frequently issue statements of solidarity but struggle to convert commitments into lasting operational frameworks.
The call to “unify regional and international efforts” amounts to a tacit acknowledgment of the limits of isolated national responses to transnational organisations such as Boko Haram.
By expressing its “full support” for Chad, Libya is seeking to position itself within a broader security cooperation framework. The real impact of such statements, however, will hinge on the ability of countries in the region to overcome political differences and build joint mechanisms to counter threats now entrenched at the regional level.
MK/AK/ac/Sf/lb/as/APA