Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    US employment cost index 3.6% up in year to June 2025    Egypt welcomes Canada, Malta's decision to recognise Palestinian state    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Sterling set for sharpest monthly drop since 2022    Egypt, Brazil sign deal to boost pharmaceutical cooperation    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Multinational force announced as Boko Haram attacks continue
Published in Daily News Egypt on 31 - 07 - 2015

The presidents of Nigeria and Cameroon have announced that they will be launching a multinational army to attack and eradicate the Boko Haram militant group. Chad, Benin and Niger will also be committing troops.
The announcement came after meetings between Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Cameroonian President Paul Biya in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Cameroon becomes the fourth country to commit to the African Union-mandated Multi-National Joint Task Force after Buhari inked similar agreements with Chad and Niger. Buhari plans to visit Benin seeking a similar agreement.
In a joint statement, the presidents stated "their common determination to eradicate Boko Haram… and agreed to intensify the exchange of information between the two countries."
They added that the two countries will also be building up the number of forces patrolling their shared border. Buhari also spoke of a lack of resources in the funding necessary to get the force off the ground.
Asked when the new regional would be deployed, Buhari answered: "It should ready today or tomorrow, by the end of this month."
But he added: "After the promises of G7 countries to help the region defeat Boko Haram, we are waiting for training, equipment and intelligence assistance."
The Nigerian military announced Thursday that Major-General Iliya Abbah has been appointed to head the five-nation force. The general previously commanded military forces fighting rebels in the oil-rich Niger Delta. The force will be headquartered in N'Djamena, Chad.
Take two
Buhari's predecessor Goodluck Jonathan attempted to put together a multinational force last year but one did not materialize. Buhari was elected partly on his promise of beating Boko Haram. Just last month Buhari sacked most of the military chiefs who led the fight under Jonathan. Many observers saw this as good first step.
"What the Nigerian military has been weak at doing, and I think the Boko Haram insurgency has exposed this, is dealing with asymmetrical war," said Manji Cheto, vice president of Teneo Intelligence, a risk analysis organization in London.
Asymmetrical war refers to small groups who use nonconventional weapons and tactics like terrorism against a larger, more conventional military force. According to Cheto, the best weapon against such tactics is intelligence gathering, something the Nigerian military, and many of its neighbors, do not have a good track record in.
"The challenge for the Nigerian military and the multinational task force going forward is how to actually build intelligence to deal with asymmetrical warfare," Cheto added.
The outgoing Nigerian chief of defense staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh also came out recently with strong criticisms of the army in the fight against Boko Haram. He said the army was underfunded and that morale was low. While not naming names, Badeh said that persons within the military leaked valuable information to the enemy, resulting in many soldiers being killed.
"I was head of a military that lacked the relevant equipment and motivation to fight an enemy that was invisible and embedded with the local populace," Badeh said.
Cheto points out that even with a viable and strong multinational force, the military alone cannot beat Boko Haram.
"Nigeria will still have to deal with underlying causes of terrorism: social justice issues, underemployment and poverty in the region. This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of trying to deal with the longer-term issues that have resulted in the rise of terrorism in the region," she said.
Small victories
Regional militaries have announced some small victories this week amid news of continuing kidnappings, suicide attacks and killings by Boko Haram. Nigeria recently announced that soldiers rescued 71 Boko Haram captives, mostly all girls and women, in battles with militants and successfully destroyed militant camps in three villages in the northeast of the country.
The Chadian military announced that their forces killed 117 militants over the past two weeks as they continue to capture or kill militants hiding out on islands on Lake Chad. Two Chadian soldiers were killed in the operations and two injured.
Even with the victories, suicide bombers continue to attack civilians. A female suicide bomber killed six people Friday at a market in Maiduguri, the largest city in northeast Nigeria. This brought to almost 50 the number of civilians killed over the past week in Nigeria and Cameroon.
A bomb disposal expert told AP the suicide bombers, many of them young girls or women, have explosives strapped to them that are remotely detonated.


Clic here to read the story from its source.