Chad says security forces kill seven militants in clash

August 6, 2015 5:40 AM

Boko Haram fighters in boats opened fire on our forces on the island of Tchoukou Dallah. Seven of their fighters were killed and there were others wounded

Chadian soldiers drive past flags painted by Boko Haram militants in the recently retaken town of Damasak, Nigeria, March 18, 2015. REUTERS/Emmanuel Braun

Chadian forces killed seven Boko Haram militants in a clash on Wednesday, a security source said, as the country tries to secure islands on Lake Chad used by the insurgents as hideouts and bases to launch attacks.

Chad said last week it killed 117 Boko Haram fighters as part of a two-week offensive on the lake that borders Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon.

"Boko Haram fighters in boats opened fire on our forces on the island of Tchoukou Dallah. Seven of their fighters were killed and there were others wounded," said a security source who declined to be named. There was no independent confirmation.

Thousands of soldiers have been deployed to tackle the militants whose six-year-old insurgency has killed hundreds in recent months.

Boko Haram has stepped up attacks in countries around the lake in recent months in response to a regional offensive. It has also adopted the name Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) after pledging allegiance to the militant group that controls parts of Syria and Iraq.