Islamism Deadly attacks in Nigeria and Cameroon

Thirteen Nigerian soldiers were killed and several others wounded on Saturday in an ambush by jihadists in Yobe state, northeast Nigeria, military sources said. These fighters of the “Islamic State” group in West Africa, armed with heavy weapons and rocket launchers, opened fire on a military convoy in the village of Gazagana, near the town of Gujba, about thirty kilometers from the state capital, Damaturu. The convoy was to reach the Buni Yadi military base, 50 km from Damaturu, a stronghold of Islamist insurgents who are increasing attacks against soldiers and travelers. The day before, assailants linked to the armed Islamist group Boko Haram had attacked, in the middle of the night, the small town of Mozogo, in the far north of Cameroon, near the border with Nigeria. During this attack, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing thirteen civilians, including eight children. “Boko Haram is doing more and more damage here. They use more and more homemade bombs that they manufacture ”, a traditional chief, Chetima Abba, told AFP. Appeared in 2009 in Nigeria before spreading to neighboring countries, this Islamist insurgency has caused the death of 36,000 people and pushed 3 million people to flee their homes, according to the UN. In 2016, the Boko Haram group split in two, with a faction still led by its historic leader, Abubakar Shekau, and the “Islamic State” in West Africa. R. M.