Chad's army says 23 personnel killed in Boko Haram attack

The president condemns the attack, which has injured 26 others

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

Islamist Boko Haram militants have attacked a military base in Chad, killing at least 23 security personnel and injuring 26 others, the army said in a statement on Tuesday.

It said the army had repelled the attack, which took place on Monday night in the Lake Chad region, and operations to clear the area were under way. Boko Haram militants have since 2009 extended their reach from northeast Nigeria to western Chad, where attacks on military installations have become frequent.

Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby condemned the attack in a statement posted on Facebook.