African Countries Demand Global Support Against Boko Haram

As the extremist group Boko Haram in Nigeria has pledged allegiance to the group known as the Islamic State, African countries have requested the United Nations to allocate a budget for combating Islamists and have called for military and intelligence support from the international community. Reuters reports that a draft resolution in the UN Security Council also mentions the formation of a joint force by Nigeria and its neighbors: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Benin to fight Boko Haram. The African Union, which has 54 members, has currently approved the deployment of 10,000 military personnel for participation in battles against Islamist extremists. Over the six years since Boko Haram's armed actions began, thousands, especially civilians, have lost their lives in northeastern Nigeria. The group's attacks have also targeted citizens of other countries. On March 12, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, identified as the spokesperson for the Islamic State, announced in an audio message that the leadership of ISIS agreed to Boko Haram's pledge of allegiance. The request for allegiance coincided with the intensification of military operations by African countries against the group. Amnesty International, in a recent report, accused Boko Haram of committing 'countless crimes.' The organization also accuses the Nigerian government of committing 'horrific crimes' against those suspected of being members of Boko Haram or supporting it. The draft resolution prepared by Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon, which Reuters saw a version of on March 13, has not yet been approved by the UN Security Council members. This draft resolution calls for Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, to establish a fund to combat Boko Haram, managed under the African Union and the 'Lake Chad Basin Commission' and Benin.