Adam Withnall reports for The Independent:
‘
The Isis militant group may have gained a firm foothold beyond the Middle East and North Africa for the first time, after Nigeria’s Boko Haram adopted the name “Islamic State’s West Africa Province” (Iswap).
The Nigerian terror group’s leader Abubakar Shekau pledged allegiance to Isis last month, but the diffuse organisation had appeared to continue to operate under its official name Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, Arabic for “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”.
Boko Haram, a nickname for the group meaning “Western education is forbidden”, has been used since the group was formed in 2002 when that was its main focus.
But now propaganda materials shared by Isis-affiliated social media accounts have dropped both those names for Iswap, and appear to share the slick production values and brazen style more usually associated with jihadists in Syria and Iraq.’
- Analysis: Islamic State strengthens ties with Boko Haram
- U.S. Marines could lead the charge against Boko Haram
- No need for UN military to battle Boko Haram, says Nigeria
- Boko Haram using civilians as human shields, says official
- After Boko Haram
- How Big Is Boko Haram?
- Boko Haram – Wikipedia
Filed under: Africa, Al Qaeda/ISIS, Nigeria, War On Terror
