The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has described Boko Haram’s current status as splintered, weaker and less organized than it was a year ago, but remains a threat to West Africa.
AFRICOM ,which is one of six of the US Defence Department’s geographic combatant commands, said in an assessment at its Stuggart,Germany base that the terror sect still commands “a few thousand members.”
It was reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent statement that Boko Haram had been routed from its last stronghold in Sambissa Forest and was on the run.
On Thursday, Boko Haram leader Abubakr Shekau released a video refuting the claim of the group’s demise, vowing to continue attacks.
AFRICOM’s efforts at blunting Boko Haram have centered on providing small numbers of military advisers to the Nigerian military and training initiatives with special operations forces from regional militaries.
AFRICOM also has expanded its intelligence-gathering efforts in the region, including a drone site in Niger.
Boko Haram has experienced some recent internal turmoil. A leadership struggle in the organization coincides with disputes over whether to align with the Islamic State group.
In August, Boko Haram broke away from the Islamic State’s west Africa branch when Islamic State leaders declared Abu Musab al Barnawi the organization’s new leader.
As a result, Boko Haram likely lost a “significant number of fighters and supplies lessening the overall capability of the organization,” AFRICOM said in its analysis, released yesterday.
“Boko Haram is probably in a weaker position than a year ago,” the command said.
Still, the militants continue to carry out suicide bombings and raids on the civilian population.
The group’s December 9 attack on a marketplace in northeaster Nigeria killed at least 56 people and injured 177 more, AFRICOM said.
“Following its divergence from ISIL-West Africa, the group continues to conduct multiple suicide bombings and raids against civilian populations, emphasizing its continued lethality,” AFRICOM said, using an abbreviation for the Islamic State group.