Boko Haram 'increasingly monstrous' 02:52
Story highlights
- Boko Haram's aim is to impose strict enforcement of Sharia law in Nigeria
- The name translates to "Western education is sin"
- The group was founded 12 years ago by Mohammed Yusuf, a charismatic cleric
- Nigerian police killed him in 2009 in an incident captured on video and posted online
(CNN)Boko Haram's escalating danger is indisputable.
The
militant group has bombed schools, churches and mosques; kidnapped
women and children; and assassinated politicians and religious leaders
alike.
One of its most brazen attacks
occurred in April, when gunmen abducted more than 200 girls in the town
of Chibok. After a fierce gunbattle with soldiers, the militants herded
the girls out of bed and onto buses, and sped off. Only a few dozen of
the girls have escaped.
What exactly is Boko Haram, and why has it turned into a Nigerian synonym for fear and bloodshed?
What does 'Boko Haram' mean?
The name translates to "Western education is sin" in the local Hausa language.
The
militant group says its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of
Sharia law across Africa's most populous nation, which is split between a
majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south.
In
recent years, its attacks have intensified in an apparent show of
defiance amid the nation's military onslaught. Its ambitions appear to
have expanded to the destruction of the Nigerian government.
How long has it been around?
The
group was founded 12 years ago by Mohammed Yusuf, a charismatic cleric
who called for a pure Islamic state in Nigeria. Police killed him in
2009 in an incident captured on video and posted to the Internet.
The crackdown, some say, made Boko Haram more violent and defiant.
Abubakar Shekau
took control of the group and escalated the attacks. It murdered and
kidnapped Westerners and started a bombing campaign that targeted
churches, mosques and government buildings.
Why not just kill Abubakar Shekau?
One word: elusive.
Questions
have swirled about Shekau, including whether he's dead or alive. Even
his age is unknown -- estimates range between 35 and 44.
In
recent years, the Nigerian military has touted his death, only to
retract its claim after he appeared alive and vibrant in propaganda
videos.
He uses the alias Darul
Tawheed, and analysts describe him as a ruthless loner and master of
disguise. He does not speak directly with members, opting to communicate
through a few select confidants.
Why would an Islamist militant group target the Muslim north?
Despite its religious fanaticism, Boko Haram does not consider all Muslims as supporters and allies.
There
have been suggestions that it attacks certain mosques because members
have spoken out against it and helped federal officials with their
crackdown. Its attacks are aimed at striking fear at the heart of the
local population to prevent cooperation with the government, analysts
say.
Does the north support the group?
Although
the northern populace mostly abhors the violence, there is considerable
local sympathy and support for Sharia law, seen by many as the only way
to end what is widely regarded as a corrupt and inept government.
Poverty is prevalent in the northern region, and as the military
struggles to halt Boko Haram's attacks, the militant group is winning
perhaps its most important battle: making Nigerians question government
competency.
Rights groups have accused
local authorities of human rights violations in the fight against the
group, adding to the anti-government sentiment.
What's the West doing to help?
The
United States has put a $7 million bounty on Shekau's head. It also
designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist network last year. Though
it has provided technical and financial support to the Nigerian teams
battling the insurgency, there has been a reluctance to put boots on the
ground unless there's a direct national security threat to the West.
Boko Haram's attacks have been limited primarily to Nigeria.
I don't live in Nigeria, so why should I care?
With
a population of 175 million, Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation
and is considered a political and economic powerhouse in the continent.
The key U.S. partner is rich in oil, a major trading partner with China
and is the hub of global business in the region.
And as we've learned with Mali, any unresolved local Islamist insurgency has the potential of spiraling into a world problem.
Last year, Shekau released a statement vowing to attack the United States and Europe.
"Our
strength and firepower is bigger than that of Nigeria. Nigeria is no
longer a big deal to us, as far as we are concerned. We will now
comfortably confront the United States of America," he said.
Does it have ties to al Qaeda?
The United States says Boko Haram has links to the al Qaeda affiliate in West Africa and to extremist groups in Mali.
What other attacks has the group conducted?
In
April, a massive explosion ripped through a bus station in the Nigerian
capital, killing at least 71 people. In a video, Shekau said the group
was behind the attack.
In November,
the group abducted dozens of Christian women, most of whom were later
rescued by the military. Some were pregnant or had children, and others
had been forcibly converted to Islam and married off to their
kidnappers.
In 2011, a Boko Haram suicide attack on the United Nations building in Abuja killed at least 25 people.
No comments:
Post a Comment