Boko Haram Seek to Imitate
‘Inspirational’ Islamic State and Establish an African Caliphate
The three girls who had been
kidnapped but escaped Boko Haram met in Washington this week to describe their
experiences. They did not use their real names for security reasons. One girl said the Boko Haram
fighters routinely spoke of killing the girls. Another confirmed they
“threatened to kill us all the time.”
She said the jihadists spoke
openly of their motive: jihad. (BAD MUSLIMS...DOWN!!!!)
“They don’t care about the
sacrifice they’re putting on people,” she said. “They’re doing it because it’s
jihad. They hate Christians.” (more here)
And now Algeria’s Caliphate
Soldiers led by Khaled Abu Suleimane have broken from al Qaeda and have joined
the Islamic State (ISIS).
“Boko Haram Seek to Imitate
‘Inspirational’ Islamic State and Establish a African Caliphate,”
By Madeline
Gran, Newsweek, 9/11/14
Boko Haram, the Nigerian
terrorist group who sprang to international notoriety after kidnapping 200
schoolgirls in April this year, have seized an area of land the size of
Ireland, and are now taking inspiration from Islamic State, who have swept
across the Middle East, capturing large parts of Iraq and Syria, say experts. In a July video, Boko Haram
leader Abubakar Shekau paid tribute to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi, who in late June declared himself “the caliph” and “leader of
Muslims everywhere”. A month later, Shekau declared that he would rule the land
annexed by Boko Haram as a caliphate.
Now, emboldened by the success
of Isis, experts say Boko Haram is beginning to operate like a conventional
army in north-eastern Nigeria. The group has recently moved from guerilla
tactics – car bombs and kidnappings – towards a policy of taking and holding
tracts of land. Andrew Noakes, co-ordinator of
the Nigeria Security Network, a coalition of security experts and academics,
told Newsweek: “Boko Haram are almost certainly receiving inspiration from
ISIS. The way they’ve been operating in the last few weeks – engaging the army
in direct and sustained combat, rapidly advancing, seizing and holding
territory – is very reminiscent of ISIS.”
On Monday, the secretary to
the Borno state government admitted that Borno – an area the size of Ireland –
has been brought to a standstill by the Islamist group. “At this very moment,
most parts of Borno state are being occupied by Boko Haram insurgents.
Government presence and administration is minimal or non-existent across many
parts of the state… Most settlements in the affected areas in the state have
either been deserted or access to them is practically impossible”. Earlier today, Borno Elders
Forum warned that Maiduguri, the state capital which has a population of 2
million, is now “completely surrounded” by the Islamist group and under
imminent threat of annihilation. The Nigeria Security Network
(NSN) cautioned the Nigerian government to “urgently reinforce” Maiduguri in a
special report published on Tuesday. “If Maiduguri falls, it will be a symbolic
and strategic victory unparalleled so far in the conflict,” says the report.
“Nigeria could be facing a rapid takeover of a large area of its territory
reminiscent of ISIS’s lightning advances in Iraq.”
Boko Haram have increasingly
employed conventional warfare tactics, such as the dropping of flyers at night
warning of imminent attacks to intimidate local populations, which has reportedly
resulted in a number of soldiers deserting the armed forces in Maiduguri. “Most [Boko Haram members] are
ethnic Kanuri, who dominate the north-east,” says Noakes. “They have a long
history of activity in the area, strong networks, a large recruitment pool, and
a more pliant population (mostly through fear).” Yet Noakes added that reports
of ISIS giving strategic advice to Boko Haram were so far “unconfirmed”, and he
maintained that their input was largely “inspirational”. Though Boko Haram,
like ISIS “has indeed carved out a territorial entity, whether they will govern
it like a state remains to be seen,” said Noakes.
Alex Perry, Newsweek’s Africa
correspondent who recently reported from Nigeria on the trail of Boko Haram,
was similarly skeptical about drawing too many parallels between the groups.
“Although they’ve said that they want to [set up a Caliphate] – I think you
have to look at them as a very poor counterpoint to ISIS – a state, with
functions and institutions, financial, social and welfare departments.” “Boko Haram commit the same
massacres as ISIS, but they are an immature organisation, basically a ‘blood
cult’ made up of children.”
Perry agreed with NSN’s bleak
judgement on the situation for Maiduguri, which he calls “in many ways the centre
of Boko Haram – their ‘London.’” He added, “if they manage to take Maiduguri it
will be a major coup, and an almighty bloodbath.” Both Perry and Noakes fear
that, like in Iraq, Nigeria’s army is ill-equipped to face the Islamists.
“Endemic corruption has eaten away at the weaponry, they are out of guns and
face a virtual mutiny problem,” said Perry, pointing to a recent riot in
Maiduguri where Nigerian soldiers tried to shoot their own commanders. Andrew Noakes agreed, “The
security forces are trying to play to their strengths, particularly by using
air power. But it’s not enough. They’re sometimes being sent into combat with
sixty rounds of ammunition to face up against heavy weapons and armour.”
PS.- I AM REMINDED OF GADAFFI'S PROPHETIC WORDS WHEN HE SAID THAT ISLAM IS GOING TO CONQUER EUROPE AND THE WORLD BY FORCE OR BY THE BELLIES OF ITS WOMEN. THEY ARE DOING BOTH....but we know...these are BAD Muslims who do not follow the good advice of the Koran regarding the love for their neighbors, etc. lol
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