A new camp for Operation Lake Chad was inaugurated on September 23, 2026, in #Bargaram. Image: @TheCameroonianZ / X (PHOTO CREDIT: ISS Today) Cameroon’s Defence Minister Joseph Assomo last month announced the formation of a Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) Lake Chad military unit in response to increasing jihadist violence in the Lake Chad region. Recent assaults in Darak, Bargaram and Hilé-Alifa have seen over 11,300 residents flee their homes.
While the new force may enhance immediate protection for civilians, its effectiveness hinges on achieving genuine territorial control and collaboration with neighbouring countries’ defence and security forces. BIR Lake Chad’s establishment marks a significant development in a region where remote and under-resourced military outposts have long been a weak point in counter-terrorism efforts. Military bases at Bargaram and Hilé-Alifa were inaugurated last month to house the new force.
Hilé-Alifa features the second-largest barracks for rapid intervention battalions, complete with dormitories, a battalion command post, a company command post, kitchens, a fuel tank, a garage, a police station, a gymnasium and a medical centre. Bargaram has newly constructed dormitory blocks, a company command post and an infirmary.
During the inauguration of the Hilé-Alifa base, BIR General Coordinator François Pelene said the new unit would be enhanced by establishing companies in Darak and Blangoua. BIR Lake Chad’s primary goal is to disrupt armed groups’ logistical networks and prevent Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) from extending its north-east Nigerian stronghold into northern Cameroon.
The new force also aims to establish a permanent presence in areas where jihadists have taxed locals, creating economic and logistical hubs for terrorist activity. The intensification of operations against Boko Haram’s ISWAP and Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) factions is also intended to bring military forces closer to communities that have fled due to ongoing attacks. Bargaram has