$45 million to fight Boko Haram
September 25, 2015
The White House announced the $45 million (40 million euros) plan, which includes the provision of extensive defense services, on Thursday.
The training, equipment and military intelligence will be sent to aid a regional African force which launched a fight back against the Islamist group in January.
The new commitment backs up earlier military support that Washington has already deployed to West Africa.
"The United States stands with our partners in the region who are fighting to end Boko Haram's campaign of terror," a statement from White House National Security spokesman Ned Price said.
Describing how Boko Haram has introduced a strict form of sharia law in the areas it controls, Price added that the violence "threatens to rob an entire generation of the benefits of unfettered access to education, health care and economic development."
The regional African force is comprised of troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Benin and Niger, which have all been hit by extremist attacks.
Nigerian deadline
Washington's new pledge contradicts comments by Nigerian officials, who claimed this week that Boko Haram's six year insurgency was coming to an end. Its military said it had cleared rebel camps and arrested dozens of suspected militants.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has given his own forces until November to end the rebellion.
Founded in 2002, Boko Haram launched a violent campaign seven years later to create an Islamic state.
The group has seized much of northeastern Nigeria, where at least 10,000 people have been killed.
Their attacks have also spread to neighboring countries, where the militants have recruited women and children as suicide bombers.
More than 2 million people have fled their homes due to the violence.
mm/lw (AFP, Reuters)