Boko Haram continue their reign of terror in Nigeria

Dozens are mourning in Northern Nigeria today as an ambush by the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) against Islamist extremists, the Boko Haram, went wrong, leaving 24 civilians dead and a further 36 remain missing.

In retaliation to the ambush, Boko Haram then attacked the nearby towns of Damboa and Nganza, slaughtering an estimated 20 civilians which brings the total number of fatalities in the region, since 2009, to over 1500.

Map of Nigeria; Maiduguri top right

The JTF are a government sanctioned civilian vigilante group and was founded in Boko Haram's birthplace, Maiduguri. Surprisingly, it is comprised of men and women and, despite the inherent dangers, the organisation is completely voluntary. These ordinary members of the community sign up in defiance of the oppression and violence inflicted on their towns by the terrorist extremists, the Boko Haram.

So who exactly are Boko Haram?

Formed in 2001 in the Nigerian city Maiduguri (popularly known as the 'Home of Peace'), the extremist group's primary ethos is to enforce Sharia law and to ban what they deem as Westernisation. Indeed, whilst the group is officially called the Congregation and People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad, they have adopted the snappier name 'Boko Haram' which translates from Hausa as 'Western eduction is sinful'.

Despite escalating tensions and smaller scale attacks, it was another eight years before Boko Haram really demonstrated their extreme power and blood thirst. In July 2009, the extremist group were stopped by security officials on their way to bury a fellow member. Apparently the officials stopped the procession to request that those riding motorcycles wear helmets and tensions quickly escalated, resulting in deaths on both sides. Unfortunately this was the spark to the tinderbox and began the 2009 Boko Haram Uprising which saw violence across the North-eastern states of Nigeria with over 1,000 people killed, 700 of which in Maiduguri alone.

The terrorists have been ruthless in their attacks, launching bloody and brutal assaults on mosques and especially schools in order to spread their message. In July, one such attack sent ripples across the world as news broke of the brutal murders of 46 students during an attack at a boarding school. The children died after being shot or burned alive as they slept.

Following the attack a video was released showing a Boko Haram soldier spitting "Teachers who teach western education? We will kill them! We will kill them all!" The militant continues they will continue to target schools 'until our last breath'. However, he then goes on to say "Our religion does not permit us to touch small children and women." If this was the case, and Boko Haram claimed responsibility, how exactly did these children die?

Boko Haram militia

The organisation is indiscriminate in whom they kill, and an attack in Konduga in early August this year, saw 44 fellow Muslims slaughtered whilst they were praying in their local mosque. The Boko Haram have been critical of Muslims who they call 'soft', complaining they should be more strict with their religion. The town in which they attacked was a simple town filled with farmers.

Many believe the Nigerian government should be pushing for peace talks with the brutal militia as a high proportion of Boko Haram members are the disaffected youth, young men angry with high levels of unemployment and abject poverty. Whilst it may be increasingly difficult to get to the root of the youth's issues with the government, opening up talks will help to clarify what it is that is attracting them to the organisation in the first place. Through tackling these issues it could help stop the expansion of the terrorist group, and perhaps even draw members of the group back into normal society. Either way, drastic action needs to be taken.

The main victims in this war are not the militia or soldiers, but the farmer left unable to work after being attacked at prayers, the mother left mourning the death of her child, the elderly couple left homeless, forced from their homes by the militia, the volunteer JTF shot whilst working on a checkpoint. As always, it is the innocent who continue to be the principal casualty of political war.

Lora.

As always, if you like my blog, feel free to follow me on Google+ and Twitter @LoradeeC

Bloodshed and Bombs in Baghdad

Whilst the world turns it's gaze to the atrocities in Syria, Baghdad has been bracing itself against further sectarian attacks following the worst wave of bloodshed in nearly five years. In July alone, over 1000 Iraqis were killed, and, on Wednesday, a further 70 people were killed, with another 200 injured, as at least ten bombs exploded across the city. 

One of the worst hit neighbourhood was Kadhimyah in Northern Baghdad, home to a predominantly Shiite population, as two bombs exploded in a car park followed by a suicide bomber, reportedly resulting in  10 fatalities, whilst injuring almost 30 more. In the South-East of the city, Jisr-Diyala another two bombs exploded, killing 7 and injuring many more. Across the city many more bombs exploded and in predominantly Shiite areas which has led to speculation that the attacks were carried out by Sunni militia, or even by Iraqi al Qaeda, however, as yet, no group has claimed responsibility.

The Interior Ministry have opposed the figures being reported by the media and claim that only around 20 have been killed. With growing concerns the country could be hurtling back towards the brutal civil war which saw thousands killed and millions displaced between 2006-2007, it may be an attempt to minimise casualties to try to reduce the likelihood of retaliation attacks?

We have heard so much about Iraq over the last decade that in the West we are at risk of becoming desensitized to the Iraqi plight and we cannot allow ourselves to think of people's deaths as simply numbers. Instead think of them as your brother, friend, father or child, anything to humanise the statistics we see so often. 

As the last of the U.S. troops left Iraq about eighteen months ago, the country is still struggling to unite it's population. Whilst I do not think a Western military presence is necessary, I do think it is important that some kind of international body steps in simply as an arbitrator. Otherwise attempts to build and maintain a functioning society, with as little sectarian attacks as possible, will ultimately fail. Perhaps I am being naive, but look at Palestine-Israel, look at Egypt and Syria, see what a factious state accomplishes? Now look towards Northern Ireland, proof that even though it takes time, and flare ups still do occur, these are the minority and change can happen and tentative peace can prevail. 

We all have to believe in something, and I believe in that.

Lora.

P.S. Almost forgot to mention, if you like my blog, feel free to follow me on Twitter @LoraDeeC.