Chad: US aircraft tracking Boko Haram in Chad

11/2/2015 12:19:35 PM

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) The U.S. has been operating flights across the trans-Saharan regionas part of itsmilitary support program to help Chadfight Boko Haram.

U.S. ambassador to Chad James Knight confirmed to Anadolu Agency on Monday that military aircraft were being deployed in the region where Boko Haram is active in the Lake Chad Basin area.

Knight saidthe U.S. deployed military aircraft across the trans-Saharan region "late 2014 replacing the U.S. drones that were involved in investigative and intelligence operations.

“Our aircraftare engaged in reconnaissance flights to monitor and also resupply Chadian ground troops engaged in the fight against the Nigerian armed group with food fuel and other equipment” Knight said.

The aircraft havecrisscrossed the trans-Saharan sky over Chad Libya Niger Algeria and Mali since late 2014. These aircrafthave replaced U.S. drones for "stronger and more effective support" he added.

The statement comes less than a month after the U.S. announced the deployment of 300 soldiers in Cameroon for technical and logistical assistance in the fight against Boko Haram.

“Leading the fight against terrorism for years the U.S. has been fighting alongside many countries that are also engaged in the fight against terrorism” Knight told Anadolu Agency.

For some years now Chad has been part of a U.S. support program within the framework of the fight against terrorism. This support increased in 2015 according to a document from the U.S. embassy in Chad entitled Assistance to Chad's Security.

The support was $14 million in 2005 about $11 million between 2011 and 2014 [and] was allocated fortraining and equipping the Chadian army.

According to the document the funding programincreased to $27 million in 2015 for urgent security needs.

Chad is part of a Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) that was created by Lake Chad Basin countries – Nigeria Niger Chad Cameroon and Benin – aimed at eradicating the militant group.

The MNJTF is backed by the African Union and headquartered in the Chadian capital N'Djamena.

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