Chad arrests dozens of burkha-clad women as it battles Islamist attacks

Chad arrested at least 62 women for wearing full veils as the African nation responded to recent suicide bombings. The heightened anti-terror measures came after suspected Boko Haram militants mounted multiple attacks.

A police spokesperson said the women were released after paying a fine of 100,000 CFA (£112). They were also warned of more serious charges if they continued to wear veils in public.

In June, the Muslim-majority country imposed counter-terrorism laws banning wearing of full veils or burkhas in public in order to avert Islamist attacks. According to the Associated Press, police spokesperson Paul Manka added that eight other suspected jihadists were also arrested.

The arrests in the capital N'djamena followed a suicide attack near Lake Chad on Saturday, 10 October that killed 36 people.

Boko Haram, meaning "western education is prohibited", has been engaged in an armed insurgency against Nigeria for the past six years with an aim to carve out a separate Islamic state under harsh Shariah law. Since 2012, more than 15,000 people are estimated to have been killed in bloody attacks with nearly a million people forced to flee.

In recent years the Nigeria-based insurgent group expanded its attacks to other African neighbours such as Chad and Cameroon. This has forced the nations to come up with multinational efforts to tackle the growing menace.