71 Chadian soldiers killed fighting Boko Haram – army

Seventy-one Chadian soldiers have been killed and 416
injured in two-and-a-half months' fighting Boko Haram,
the Chadian army said on Friday.
Chad is taking part in a regional offensive against the
Nigeria-based Islamist radicals along with troops from
Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon.
chadChad army chief General Brahim Seid told reporters in
N'Djamena the "valiant soldiers" had died since February 3
in the "just and noble cause of bringing peace and security"
to the region.
The countries neighbouring Nigeria, including Chad, sent
troops to help crush Boko Haram after the Islamists began
to threaten the region surrounding Lake Chad, where the
borders of all four nations converge.
Nigeria's army has been criticised for failing to deal with
Boko Haram fighters whose bid to set up a hardline Islamic
state has killed more than 15,000 people since 2009 and put
scores of thousands to flight, according to the UN.
The UN on Thursday launched an appeal for $174 million to
give "life-saving aid" to the almost 200,000 Nigerians who
have fled the country due to the group's brutal attacks.