Boko Haram Changes Name To “The Islamic State In West Africa”

by Musa Abdullahi & Agency Report

Boko Haram fighters have amassed in the group’s Sambisa Forest stronghold in northeast Nigeria, as a military offensive tries to flush them out, a civilian vigilante told AFP on Thursday. (The group also released new photos of the rebranded group pictured above).

But soldiers were forced to retreat because of the extensive use of landmines in the area, one of which exploded killing a soldier and three vigilantes.

“Boko Haram are in large numbers in Sambisa,” said the vigilante, who requested anonymity for security reasons as he was part of the operation. “All their fighters who were pushed out of Bama, Dikwa, Gwoza and Damboa (in Borno state) all moved to Boko Haram camps in Sambisa,” he added.

Details of the offensive came as a series of photographs circulated on social media accounts linked to the Islamic State group of heavily armed fighters, purportedly from Boko Haram.

No independent verification was possible but some of the accounts said the images were released under the name “The Islamic State in West Africa”.

Boko Haram chief Abubakar Shekau pledged allegiance to IS group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in March. The Middle Eastern militants responded by urging Muslims to support the rebels in Nigeria.

A four-nation military operation launched in February involving Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon has recaptured swathes of territory previously held by Boko Haram in three northeast states.

Last week, Nigeria’s national security advisor Sambo Dasuki said troops would storm the vast Sambisa Forest by the handover of power to incoming president Muhammadu Buhari on May 29.

Photo Credit: DailyMail