Boko Haram land mine kills 2 in Cameroon military convoy

There have been increased reports in recent months of Boko Haram members storming remote villages and looting it of foodstuffs as well as suicide attacks on soft targets like IDP camps and markets.

In early December, the Cameroonian defense ministry announced that its forces had killed at least 100 Boko Haram fighters and rescued over 900 hostages abducted by the extremist group.

According to sources inside Boko Haram organization, “many [have been] grumbling silently, some have openly voiced their opposition to the elusive Abubakar Shekau over these ‘unexplained attacks on the innocent”. “They know that those friends, those [Nigerian] army friends that will come to help us [that come to fight with us] will pass on those explosives and will be destroyed”, said Beltus.

Mauritania is in West Africa, however, a continent’s span away from Somalia. Borno has begun an attempt to bring its internally displaced persons (IDPs) back from other parts of Nigeria, after having fled when the state’s villages were hit with suicide bombers, horseback raids, and other major Boko Haram attacks.

Hansen doubts the strength of the relationship now, however, due to the different affiliations taken on by each group.

It was not clear from his comments whether he believed al Shabaab was still training Boko Haram fighters, who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

Speaking in English, Mohamud urged world leaders to unite against Boko Haram.

Regional forces from Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Benin have been launching raids on Boko Haram strongholds along the border since past year.

Despite the possibility of low-level cooperation, Pantucci says it is unlikely that either Boko Haram or Al-Shabab are looking to extend their insurgencies beyond their local regions.

After the Dalori attack, when Nigerians showed their frustration at the government’s appearing insensitivity and indifference towards the victims of the rampaged town, a government delegation went to visit and Secretary of the Government, David Babachir accused the people of “lack of vigilance”, being responsible for their tragedy.