Posted on 01/26/2015 8:22:45 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Nigerian terror group Boko Haram has reportedly captured the strategically important city of Monguno following a heavy battle with the army, which has left over 200 people dead.
CNN reported that the military is still fighting Boko Haram for control over Maiduguri, attempting to prevent the jihadists from gaining even more ground.
"Our soldiers initially repelled the terrorists but they mobilized more fighters and came back in full force. They overwhelmed our troops and forced them to retreat," said one Nigerian officer, who asked not to be named.
While Monguno has close to 100,000 residents, Maiduguri hosts more than 600,000. Boko Haram has been attempting to gain control over several cities near the borders with Chad and Cameroon, with the extremists setting their sights on attacking other neighboring countries as well.
The Associated Press noted that at least 200 people have been reported dead so far in the battle for Maiduguri. Simultaneous battles were also going on Sunday 125 miles south in the Adamawa state, as Boko Haram insurgents targeted a number of smaller villages.
"The attacks have continued since Friday with no presence of security operatives," said Adamawa state legislator Adamu Kamale, calling on Nigerian troops to do all they can to protect civilians.
Boko Haram has been waging a war on the Nigerian government for over five years now, seeking to drive out all Christians and establish Islamic rule.
Survivors from another heavy attack in Baga that is believed by some sources to have killed almost 2,000 people earlier in January have been recalling their horrific experience.
"I am on my own with my three girls; my husband was killed," said 30-year-old Hadija Umar, who fled to a UNICEF camp in Chad.
"He had gone to buy fish when Boko Haram fighters launched their attack. Women told me that they found his body floating in the lake, his hands tied and his throat cut."
Human rights groups such as Amnesty International posted satellite photos of the attack on Baga, showing the widespread devastation caused in the wake of Boko Haram.
BBC News' Will Ross described the scenes from the latest attack: "People in Maiduguri woke up to the sound of explosions and heavy gunfire as Boko Haram launched a pre-dawn attack on this strategic city. Ground troops, air strikes and local vigilantes managed to stop the jihadists from penetrating the city. Much of the fighting was around a barracks," he said.
"In a separate attack the town of Monguno was captured - the latest to be seized by the group. With the insurgents gaining more and more territory Maiduguri is increasingly vulnerable. It is home to tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes because of the conflict."
Borno Governor Kashim Shettima admitted that the government is finding it more and more challenging to cope with the terror group's increasing attacks, but vowed to continue the fight.
"So long as we have the resources, we will continue to regard the efforts to reclaim peace our No. 1 area of commitments. I want to reassure the good people of Borno state that we will never abdicate from our responsibility as those they entrusted with leadership," Shettima said.
80 U.S. troops in Chad will aid search for abducted Nigerian ...
www.cnn.com/2014/05/21/world/africa/nigeria-violence/ CNN
May 22, 2014 - The United States deployed 80 members of its armed forces to Chad ... U.S. sends drone to look for school girls 01:34 ... President Barack Obama informed the House speaker and the ... Boko Haram abducted more than 200 girls last month from a school ... "The Jos attack has only strengthened our resolve.
Looks like another Obama foreign affairs fiasco
Seriously, prayers for all involved.
Nothing Islamic to see here. Please move along.
Things would have turned out differently if the residents were armed. Even with old Russian Mosin–Nagant rifles.
It seems the Mooselimbs are well funded and well armed.
It won’t be long now before we start hearing about Typhus, etc.
Then we will be invited to ‘help’
Supposedly Nigeria has over 130,000 front line soldiers. Nigeria would be better off if they hired a few thousand Western mercenaries to take on Boko.
No worries. No saudi royals or qatar royals are doing the funding according to the media. bo is a ruse.
Nigeria is a major country, for Africa. The fact they cannot or will not take care of this is disturbing.
I still do not understand the people in these cities.
If I was in that kind of situation, knowing the savages were beating on the doors, I would be on the front line with the soldiers. With 100,000 citizens, there has to several thousands of adult males who can pick up a rifle and shoot. Even if you have to pick one up from somebody who has died, you can still defend your family and country. (Hat tip to We Were Soldiers and Enemy at the Gate)
If residents know that they will be massacred if they lose, they will put up stiff resistance.
If the Boko Haram fighters suffer enough casualties trying to take a town, then their enthusiasm will wane.
I think the same exact thing with ISIS rampaging in Syria/Iraq. Would you think the men knowing what ISIS will do to their families will fight and one is talking about cities/towns with thousands of military age men.
It does seem that in the global game of Chess, blacks have been deemed irrelevant. I'm disgusted....we're watching global genocide.
JMHO
If I was in that kind of situation, knowing the savages were beating on the doors, I would be on the front line with the soldiers.
With 100,000 citizens, there has to several thousands of adult males who can pick up a rifle and shoot. Even if you have to pick one up from somebody who has died, you can still defend your family and country. (Hat tip to We Were Soldiers and Enemy at the Gate)"
And now you've highlighted a fundamental difference about the Western, white, Christian mind or world versus the African and the so called Third World nations -- a sense of duty to one's nation and family and future -- a civic duty.
I've thought this same exact thing, they should hire a private army or something. The rich have done something like this in Monterrey Mexico I understand.
Some stories say Nigeria's army has been weakened to prevent a force strong enough to take over in a coup.
Corruption is also an apparent problem. US refused a helicopter deal with Nigeria because US was not sure they would be used to fight the insurgents.
They have elections in about 2-3 weeks. And, the 2 candidates ran against each other in 2011 and election violence saw 1,000 people killed.
There is no excuse though for allowing some Insurgency army to slaughter the populace as BH is doing.
Sunni Oil Money must be funding BH to the gills.
Like people here, one looks at this and really wonders, why Nigeria can't do better with this problem.
There was the episode in Sierra Leon facing a similar army of crazies hired mercenaries, mainly white South Africans. A small group of them had the insurgents on the run in no time.
But there still has to be the desire to protect ones family, doesn’t there?
And by asking the question, I realize the difference you talk about. I have spent time in Russia, Eastern Europe, Central America, Afghanistan and Iraq. The only places that didn’t seem to have that desire was Iraq and Afghanistan.
I saw a team come back after a night operation where they were trying to hit a target several klicks from the drop zone. While passing a compound, a dog started barking, which alerted the owner. The owner looked out the door, saw nothing (it was very dark), popped back in, and then sent out a woman with an AK-47 to find out what was going on. They said she had absolutely no idea what she was doing but walked straight into the patrol. And the owner’s action was completely normal for his culture and area.
But I could never imagine myself or any man I have ever known in the other countries I have worked in doing that.
Jihad watch just posted this story on the US halting Israel from selling attack helicopters to Nigeria. JW claims the US told Israel not to.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/01/us-halted-israeli-arms-transfer-to-nigeria-to-fight-boko-haram
Refusing to allow helicopters to Nigeria has been a story since at least last November. I didn’t know Israel was involved in the story. Israel should be advising Nigeria on how to deal with their problem.
Nigeria has always had some problems, Warlords in the Delta Region (which has oil). But this right now is Keystone Cops incompetency.
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