A/HRC/42/42/Add.1 34. Much information from interlocutors related to Boko Haram and the Lake Chad crisis, which involved what many referred to as jihadists or terrorist fighters. Other interlocutors, however, mentioned that foreign armed actors were also engaged in Boko Haram. The Working Group noted those as mercenary-related actors. 35. Outside of the Boko Haram discussions, references were made to Chadians who had been hired abroad to fight as mercenaries in foreign conflicts, for example in Mali, in the Central African Republic and elsewhere in the region. The Working Group had noted the activities of mercenaries from Chad in the report on its visit to the Central African Republic (A/HRC/36/47/Add.1). Determination of “foreigner” 36. It is difficult to determine the identities of fighters and which fighters are foreigners. The Chadian authorities also confirmed that it was challenging to determine whether someone was a mercenary or simply a foreigner engaged in armed conflict. Like those of many countries in Africa, the borders of Chad are extremely porous. As such, an ethnic tribe or community can be based in an area that spans countries, with members separated by an artificial border. Determining who is a “foreigner” is thus further complicated. For instance, in the Lake Chad region, many inhabitants share close ethnic ties with the Buduma, Kanuri and Hausa tribes, although they may be nationals of either Nigeria or Chad. This is also the case with communities on the borders shared with the Central African Republic, Libya and the Sudan. Nationalities may differ, but individuals can share a common ethnicity and language. The determination of whether one is a foreign fighter or a mercenary is often premised on nationality, hence this issue is an important determinant when profiling fighters. 37. Determining true nationality, however, can be difficult. The delegation was informed that obtaining a national identity card in Chad can be expensive, costing up to around CFAF 10,000. People have been known to engage in unlawful practices to obtain a national identification card or passport through individuals who sell falsified birth certificates. This appeared to be more of a challenge in rural areas than in the capital. Through such means, individuals can obtain multiple identification cards with false nationalities from various countries in the border region, making it difficult to know a person’s true nationality. Mercenarism and foreign fighters 38. The recurrent violent conflicts affecting Chad continue to be fuelled by a myriad of armed actors. The delegation was told of a number of rebel groups operating in the country, composed of former military personnel, local armed elements and individuals from neighbouring countries who have launched attacks in Chad aimed at undermining the current Government. As a result of insurgencies in the east, around 3,000 Chadian soldiers were deployed to join forces with the Sudan and to assist in securing the border in that area. Chad deployed a further 3,000 soldiers to the Niger in the context of the Multinational Joint Task Force, as well as to Nigeria, also to assist in maintaining security. 39. The delegation was informed by authorities that 15,000 soldiers had also been deployed to the north to monitor the border with Libya. The presence of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Daesh, The Organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI) and other armed groups in Libya is one of the most serious security threats to Chad and the region. The travel of Chadians to Libya to engage as mercenaries in the crisis there has heightened these concerns. Persons of other nationalities were also reportedly recruited as mercenaries by ISIL in Libya. An alliance between ISIL and Boko Haram in 2015 has worsened the security situation, as these groups appear to have an interest in protracting the armed conflicts affecting various States. A split occurred within Boko Haram, with the faction aligned to ISIL emerging as the “Islamic State’s West African Province”. 40. The delegation was informed that foreigners had been recruited into Boko Haram; most were from Nigeria, but they also included nationals from Cameroon, the Niger and the Sudan. Some interlocutors also alleged that foreign individuals who were not from the region were also involved. These individuals had allegedly been recruited to assist with training, logistics and advice on conflict strategies, particularly at the beginning of the Boko Haram operations. 6