Boko Haram poses regional threat to Central Africa and religious minorities
In the midst of a coronavirus emergency that has also reached western Africa, the countries of the region are confronted by the upsurge of Boko Haram which in a series of attacks between Nigeria and Chad has killed at least 150 soldiers in the last few days, Agenzia Fides, reported on Friday.
The report says that the most serious attack dates back to March 24 when at least 92 Chadian soldiers were killed in the most deadly attack to date ever carried out by Boko Haram terrorists, Boma peninsula in the Lac province, which borders Niger and Nigeria.
The assault lasted at least seven hours and the reinforcements sent to help were also hit. According to reports, 24 army vehicles were destroyed, including armored vehicles and Boko Haram’s men took away the weapons stolen by the military.
The previous day, March 23, the jihadists had killed at least 50 Nigerian soldiers in an ambush near the village of Goneri in northern Yobe state, Agenzia Fides noted.
Even in northern Cameroon on the border with Nigeria in recent months, hundreds of families have been forced to flee their homes due to the renewed violence of Boko Haram. Hidoua, Gochi, Mandaka, Tourou, Kolofata … the list of places attacked since December 2019 continues to grow. On almost every occasion, fires, looting, kidnappings and murders by jihadists have been reported, Fides detailed.
Religious minorities are also exposed to danger.
Christians are predominantly live in other parts of the country, however there are significant minority groups in northeastern Nigeria.
In most of the cases they have to face with danger on two fronts. Not only Boko Haram poses a threat but there is another, rather not religious conflict with Fulani herdsmen for tillable land which often results in armed struggle.
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