Nigeria and its four neighbouring nations
on Saturday pledged to deploy 8,700
troops, police and civilians as part of a
regional effort to fight Boko Haram
militants.
"The representatives of Benin, Cameroon,
Niger, Nigeria and Chad have announced
contributions totalling 8,700 military
personnel, police and civilians," the
countries said in a statement after a
meeting in Cameroon's capital Yaounde.
The announcement came out of a three-
day summit focused on organising the
force that will battle the Islamist militants,
who are engaged in a worsening six-year
insurgency centred in northeastern
Nigeria.
However, it may be some time before the
multi-national effort goes into action, as
nations will continue in coming days to
thrash out the details of each
government's contribution as well as the
budget.
Country representatives at the summit
agreed to launch a mission to "foster a
safe and secure environment in the
impacted regions" and tackle an
insurgency that has killed at least 13,000
people and pushed more than a million
from their homes since 2009.
African Union leaders will submit the
plan for the force crafted by Western and
African experts to the UN Security Council
for approval.
Boko Haram's attacks have increasingly
spilled over from Nigeria into
neighbouring nations.
Their first major assault in Niger on
Friday triggered a forceful response from
Chadian and Nigerien troops.
Niger's defence minister reported that 109
of the Islamists were killed in the
fighting, along with four soldiers and a
civilian. Seventeen other troops were
wounded.
The United States said it condemned the
attack in the "strongest possible terms"
and pledged support for regional forces.
"This unchecked killing must stop," State
Department spokeswoman Marie Harf
said. "We continue to provide support to
governments in the region, including
through intelligence sharing, and are
increasing our support for these efforts."
Chad already has troops fighting Boko
Haram on two fronts, with soldiers
deployed in Niger and Nigeria.
Nigeria's military has drawn fierce
criticism for failing to rein in the
insurgents, who have intensified attacks
ahead of a presidential election.
The Nigerian election commission
announced on Saturday that it would
postpone the polls, scheduled for February
14, until March 28 over security concerns.
The chairman of the Independent
National Electoral Commission, Attahiru
Jega, said security chiefs had advised a
delay as troops would not be available
because of operations against Boko Haram
militants.
US intelligence officials said Friday that
while Boko Haram is flush with cash and
weapons after a string of battlefield
advances, the militants could face a
tougher fight with Nigeria's neighbours.
The military intervention of neighbouring
powers could potentially be a "game
changer in a positive way," one
intelligence official said.
Source: Business Insider
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