Boko Haram militants kill 23 soldiers in an attack on a military post, Chad says

N’DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Boko Haram militants have killed 23 soldiers in an attack on a military post in the Lake Chad region, Chad’s armed forces said Tuesday.

The region has long been threatened by the Nigeria-based Boko Haram militant group, which is known for carrying out attacks in neighboring countries.

Chad’s military said another 26 soldiers were injured in Monday night’s attack on Barka Tolorom island. In a statement, it said “a significant number of sect members were neutralized” and the attackers eventually were repelled.

President Mahamat Idriss Deby in a separate statement called the attack “cowardly.”