Nigeria’s military reported the death of 35 jihadists in a series of air strikes conducted near the country’s north-eastern border with Cameroon. The operations targeted four distinct areas and aimed to prevent an attack on Nigerian ground troops.
The Nigerian government has faced an ongoing struggle against various jihadist groups for over a decade, alongside issues related to violent criminal gangs, sectarian conflicts, and widespread kidnappings for ransom. Recently, a collective of prominent Nigerian figures, including former ministers and civil society leaders, expressed concern over escalating violence, describing conditions in some regions as having “war-time levels of slaughter.” This statement was released following a report from Amnesty International, which indicated that at least 10,217 fatalities occurred since President Bola Tinubu assumed office two years ago.
In response, the group advocated for the establishment of a Presidential Task Force endowed with extensive authority to address the numerous conflicts, notably the resurgence of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the north-east. Last week, the Nigerian army claimed to have killed nearly 600 jihadists in the region over the past eight months, though independent confirmation of this figure has not been provided.
The Nigerian Air Force announced its intent to sustain air support for ground troops focused on dismantling jihadist bases in the north-eastern area. The United Nations estimates that over 35,000 individuals have died and two million have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict. The Institute for Security Studies noted at least 15 jihadist attacks thus far in 2023, primarily in areas bordering Cameroon and Niger. Additionally, there are reports that jihadists have been utilizing modified commercial drones to target military installations, complicating efforts for troop reinforcements. Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department approved a $346 million arms sale to Nigeria.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq58123z814o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss