Africa Afire With Terror

"The failure of emergency rule to contain and impede Boko Haram violence clearly shows that the military option with an absolute focus on the violent destruction of Boko Haram is not tenable and an alternative must be sought."
Chatham House, Britain, report

"Advanced splintering seems like a probable outcome."
"If Shabaab ends up exiting al-Qaeda, there will be global implications for that ... but it's hard to say right now which way that will go."
Matt Bryden, head, Sahan Research, Nairobi

Two African Islamist terrorist groups fomenting violence and terror, vying with other Islamist groups like Hamas, Islamic State and Hezbollah, to capture the world's attention, fear and apprehension that perhaps if they prevail, the countries of the West may be next in line. Thousands of Nigerians in northeastern Nigeria are streaming out of harm's way as Boko Haram has inflicted fear and violence on their communities.

Boko Haram is fighting for control of Bama, the second-largest city in Borno state, even while the Nigerian military claims it has repelled the Islamists in fierce fighting. Taking possession of Bama would open their way to attack the state capital of Maiduguri, which also happens to represent the military headquarters of the fight the regime has launched against Boko Haram. With a population of 200,000, located 75 kilometres from Maiduguri, Bama represents a strategic goal.

Some analysts says that Boko Haram is seeking to encircle the state capital, Maiduguri [Reuters]

According to residents, the Islamists had succeeded in taking the military barracks in the city, even as the military claimed they had fought off the attackers. What did happen was the air force bombed the barracks, killing soldiers and civilians sheltering there. With Boko Haram's declaration of an Islamic caliphate it has overrun villages in eastern Borno, attracting international criticism for mass kidnappings of 200 schoolgirls in their enforcement of Islamism.

Africa's most populous nation of 170-million, half of which is Muslim and the south of which is Christian has seen the government's campaign against the Islamists fail. Chatham House has recommended that international allies attempt to aid Nigeria in focusing on another strategy to led to success, even while a military state of emergency imposed a year ago alienated ordinary Nigerians as the armed forces are accused of human rights abuses.

In Somalia, where the United States conducted a drone strike, it seems that the spiritual leader of Al-Shabaab, 37 year-old Ahmed Abde Godane has been assassinated. While that sounds somewhat positive in outcome, U.S. intelligence feels that this event may lead to a split in the terrorist group which may now decide to leave behind its association with al-Qaeda, for the preferential alliance with the more successful, newly-notorious, atrocity-prone Islamic State.

A Somali government soldier fires at al-Shabaab militants after rebels attacked Mogadishu’s Godka Jilacow prison to free insurgents. Photo: Feisal Omar/Reuters

American special operations forces took to manned and unmanned aircraft using Hellfire missiles and precision-guided munitions to destroy a vehicle that Godane and several terrorists were travelling in, killing six altogether. After the airstrikes that one witness described as an "earthquake", masked Islamic terrorists arrested dozens of residents whom they suspected of spying for the United States. A specialty of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as well, who seek out revenge on their own.