Chad sentences Boko Haram members to death for June attacks

N'DJAMENA, Chad

 Judicial authorities sentenced ten Boko Haram members to death on Friday after they were convicted of involvement in twin suicide bomb attacks that shook capital N'Djamena in mid-June.

On June 15, at least 28 people were killed -- including large numbers of military personnel and four Boko Haram militants -- in two massive bombings that targeted two different military facilities in the capital.

Following the attack, which was Boko Haram’s most brazen operation in Chad -- and by far its deadliest -- thus far, President Idriss Deby declared three days of national mourning.

Friday’s death sentences were handed down following a three-day trial in which the ten defendants were accused of murdering civilians; setting up a criminal organization; carrying out bomb attacks; possessing weapons and ammunition; and consuming illegal narcotics.

Boko Haram, which first emerged in the early 2000s by preaching against Nigerian government misrule and corruption, became fanatically violent in 2009 after the death of its leader while in police custody.

Since then, Boko Haram had largely confined its attacks to northeastern Nigeria. Recent months, however, have seen the group stage several deadly operations in neighboring states -- including Cameroon and Chad -- that have left scores dead. 

In June, five states recently targeted by Boko Haram -- including Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Benin and Chad -- launched a regional task force aimed at eradicating the notorious militant group.

Earlier this month, following fresh Cameroonian contributions, the total troop strength of the Nigeria-led Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) was raised to 12,000.