SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Smoldering ashes are seen on the ground in Badu near Maiduguri on July 28, 2019, after the latest attack this weekend by Boko Haram fighters on a funeral in northeast Nigeria has left 65 people dead. (Photo: AUDU MARTE/AFP/Getty Images)
Terror Attack in Nigeria Kills At Least 65 People in Latest Example of 'Sharp Increase' in Extremism Tied to AFRICOM
"Attempting to eradicate terrorism by force may be exacerbating the problem, provoking a terrorist backlash and serving as a recruiting tool for extremist groups."
Jul 29, 2019
At least 65 people were killed over the weekend in Nigeria by the suspected terrorist group Boko Haram, the deadliest attack in the region this year and a continuance of soaring violence that a new analysis says correlates to the rise of an expanded U.S. footprint in Africa.
According to Muhammad Bulama, council chairman of the Nganzai local government area, 11 other people were wounded during the attack. Bulama, according to The Associated Press, presumed the attack to be a "reprisal after villagers and civilian self-defense forces fought off a Boko Haram ambush in the area two weeks ago, killing 11 extremists."
A recent report from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a Pentagon research institution, suggest these extremist groups are only growing and far from defeated.
According to the Africa Center's analysis, "violent events" across the continent have soared by 960 percent, from 288 in 2009 to 3,050 in 2018--a record level of activity. The analysis also discovered a significant rise in militant groups in Africa, finding there are now roughly 24 "active militant Islamist groups" operating on the continent, up from just five in 2010.
In The Intercept, Nick Turse was quick to highlight the correlation between the increased rise in terrorism outlined by the African Center Pentagon study and the implementation of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which began operations in Africa in 2008. According to its mission statement, AFRICOM "disrupts and neutralizes transnational threats" in order to "promote regional security, stability and prosperity." Yet, the report found that that mission is not being fulfilled--in fact, the rate of incidents is rising.
"Overall, militant Islamist group activity in Africa has doubled since 2012," reads the report.
Last week marked the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of the Boko Haram militant insurgency, which is responsible for killing around 27,000 people and displacing more than two million others, creating one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. According to AP, "The extremists are known for mass abductions of schoolgirls and putting young women and men into suicide vests for attacks on markets, mosques and other high-traffic areas."
As reported in The New York Times, "Nigeria's government says Boko Haram and I.S.W.A. have been largely defeated and driven out of territory they once held, but they continue to attack both civilian and military targets."
According to Turse:
The U.S. military has recently conducted 36 named operations and activities in Africa, more than any other region of the world, including the Greater Middle East. Troops scattered across Africa regularly advise, train, and partner with local forces; gather intelligence; conduct surveillance; and carry out airstrikes and ground raids focused on "countering violent extremists on the African continent"....Despite these and several other long-running U.S. military efforts in the region, militant groups in the Sahel have grown more active and their attacks more frequent, according to the Africa Center.
"The sharp increase in terrorist incidents in Africa underscores the fact that the Pentagon's overly militarized approach to the problem has been a dismal failure," said William Hartung, the director of the arms and security project at the Center for International Policy.
"If anything," added Hartung, "attempting to eradicate terrorism by force may be exacerbating the problem, provoking a terrorist backlash and serving as a recruiting tool for extremist groups."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
At least 65 people were killed over the weekend in Nigeria by the suspected terrorist group Boko Haram, the deadliest attack in the region this year and a continuance of soaring violence that a new analysis says correlates to the rise of an expanded U.S. footprint in Africa.
According to Muhammad Bulama, council chairman of the Nganzai local government area, 11 other people were wounded during the attack. Bulama, according to The Associated Press, presumed the attack to be a "reprisal after villagers and civilian self-defense forces fought off a Boko Haram ambush in the area two weeks ago, killing 11 extremists."
A recent report from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a Pentagon research institution, suggest these extremist groups are only growing and far from defeated.
According to the Africa Center's analysis, "violent events" across the continent have soared by 960 percent, from 288 in 2009 to 3,050 in 2018--a record level of activity. The analysis also discovered a significant rise in militant groups in Africa, finding there are now roughly 24 "active militant Islamist groups" operating on the continent, up from just five in 2010.
In The Intercept, Nick Turse was quick to highlight the correlation between the increased rise in terrorism outlined by the African Center Pentagon study and the implementation of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which began operations in Africa in 2008. According to its mission statement, AFRICOM "disrupts and neutralizes transnational threats" in order to "promote regional security, stability and prosperity." Yet, the report found that that mission is not being fulfilled--in fact, the rate of incidents is rising.
"Overall, militant Islamist group activity in Africa has doubled since 2012," reads the report.
Last week marked the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of the Boko Haram militant insurgency, which is responsible for killing around 27,000 people and displacing more than two million others, creating one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. According to AP, "The extremists are known for mass abductions of schoolgirls and putting young women and men into suicide vests for attacks on markets, mosques and other high-traffic areas."
As reported in The New York Times, "Nigeria's government says Boko Haram and I.S.W.A. have been largely defeated and driven out of territory they once held, but they continue to attack both civilian and military targets."
According to Turse:
The U.S. military has recently conducted 36 named operations and activities in Africa, more than any other region of the world, including the Greater Middle East. Troops scattered across Africa regularly advise, train, and partner with local forces; gather intelligence; conduct surveillance; and carry out airstrikes and ground raids focused on "countering violent extremists on the African continent"....Despite these and several other long-running U.S. military efforts in the region, militant groups in the Sahel have grown more active and their attacks more frequent, according to the Africa Center.
"The sharp increase in terrorist incidents in Africa underscores the fact that the Pentagon's overly militarized approach to the problem has been a dismal failure," said William Hartung, the director of the arms and security project at the Center for International Policy.
"If anything," added Hartung, "attempting to eradicate terrorism by force may be exacerbating the problem, provoking a terrorist backlash and serving as a recruiting tool for extremist groups."
At least 65 people were killed over the weekend in Nigeria by the suspected terrorist group Boko Haram, the deadliest attack in the region this year and a continuance of soaring violence that a new analysis says correlates to the rise of an expanded U.S. footprint in Africa.
According to Muhammad Bulama, council chairman of the Nganzai local government area, 11 other people were wounded during the attack. Bulama, according to The Associated Press, presumed the attack to be a "reprisal after villagers and civilian self-defense forces fought off a Boko Haram ambush in the area two weeks ago, killing 11 extremists."
A recent report from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a Pentagon research institution, suggest these extremist groups are only growing and far from defeated.
According to the Africa Center's analysis, "violent events" across the continent have soared by 960 percent, from 288 in 2009 to 3,050 in 2018--a record level of activity. The analysis also discovered a significant rise in militant groups in Africa, finding there are now roughly 24 "active militant Islamist groups" operating on the continent, up from just five in 2010.
In The Intercept, Nick Turse was quick to highlight the correlation between the increased rise in terrorism outlined by the African Center Pentagon study and the implementation of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which began operations in Africa in 2008. According to its mission statement, AFRICOM "disrupts and neutralizes transnational threats" in order to "promote regional security, stability and prosperity." Yet, the report found that that mission is not being fulfilled--in fact, the rate of incidents is rising.
"Overall, militant Islamist group activity in Africa has doubled since 2012," reads the report.
Last week marked the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of the Boko Haram militant insurgency, which is responsible for killing around 27,000 people and displacing more than two million others, creating one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. According to AP, "The extremists are known for mass abductions of schoolgirls and putting young women and men into suicide vests for attacks on markets, mosques and other high-traffic areas."
As reported in The New York Times, "Nigeria's government says Boko Haram and I.S.W.A. have been largely defeated and driven out of territory they once held, but they continue to attack both civilian and military targets."
According to Turse:
The U.S. military has recently conducted 36 named operations and activities in Africa, more than any other region of the world, including the Greater Middle East. Troops scattered across Africa regularly advise, train, and partner with local forces; gather intelligence; conduct surveillance; and carry out airstrikes and ground raids focused on "countering violent extremists on the African continent"....Despite these and several other long-running U.S. military efforts in the region, militant groups in the Sahel have grown more active and their attacks more frequent, according to the Africa Center.
"The sharp increase in terrorist incidents in Africa underscores the fact that the Pentagon's overly militarized approach to the problem has been a dismal failure," said William Hartung, the director of the arms and security project at the Center for International Policy.
"If anything," added Hartung, "attempting to eradicate terrorism by force may be exacerbating the problem, provoking a terrorist backlash and serving as a recruiting tool for extremist groups."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy