Friday the Thirteenth

The Chadian town after the attack

On February 13, 2015, members of the terrorist group Boko Haram stole across Lake Chad to attack a village. The group's focus has centered around Niger and Nigeria, making this the first attack onto Chadian soil.  Although the Chadian military responded, reports differ on how many villagers died (some say 5 [1] others say 10 [2]).  This was the first Boko Haram attack on Chad. [3]

Background

“Boko Haram” became common vocabulary in April of 2014, when 276 Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped and the majority held until October. [4] However, Boko Haram is much more complex. 

To begin with, Boko Haram is not the official name of this group.  The name is “Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad,” which means “Group of the People of Sunna for Preaching and Jihad.”  In turn, "Boko Haram" specifically means "Western Education is Forbidden."  Its reaction against Westernization is a repercussion of events from the 1960’s to current.  When the British colonizers were pushed out of Nigeria, the country operated as a military dictatorship from 1966-1999 (excluding a few years’ time when the country was democratic).  Religious violence was high in the 1980’s as Islamic sects clashed, resulting in riots in the larger cities.  The country “stabilized” in 1999, but Nigeria has still dealt with social inequality, poverty, increasingly radical Islam, and full hyper-renouncement of former British colonization.  Out of this came what we refer to as Boko Haram – a Wahhabi, Salafi, and fundamentalist sect.  This radical group was founded by Mohammad Yusuf in 2002 as a full rejection of Westernization, especially Western education, and is connected with al-Qaeda and Iraq.  Its goal is to create a fundamentalist Emirate state in Nigeria. [5]

Abubakar Shekau - from his February 16, 2015, video.

Boko Haram grew quietly until 2009, when nine of its members were captured and their bombs and weapons confiscated.  The group launched a series of revenge attacks on local police.  By the end of July, 700 members of Boko Haram were dead and many state buildings, schools, and churches had been burned.  The founder, Mohammad Yusuf, died in custody and another round of revenge attacks began under his successor, Abubakar Shekau.  Everything “snowballed” for years with riots, bombings, IED’s, suicide bombers, and the bombing of a US Embassy.  One set of bombings occurred hours after a 2011 presidential inauguration ceremony.  The so-called “Christmas Day Bombings” of 2011 were a series of 115 coinciding attacks which killed 550 people.  When a state of emergency was called in Nigeria in 2012, Shekau responded with a statement giving southern Nigerians three days to leave before he began many small-scale attacks on ethnic Igbo’s and Christians.  Within three weeks, 275 people were dead.  And the attacks are continuing, creating thousands of displaced refugees. [6] (A timeline of events can be found here)

The World's Reaction

Refugees in Ngouboua

Some of these refugees were accepted into Chad in the past six years from both the Central African Republic and Nigeria.  The town of Ngouboua was particularly generous - it is reported that the village chief willingly shared all he had.  This chief, Mai Koleye, was among the dead after Boko Haram's attack. [7] Officials say that thirty fighters crossed Lake Chad in three motarized canoes around three in the morning. [8] Houses were set on fire, police stations attacked, villagers and refugees - some who had fled from Baga only a month before - were  killed. [9]

The Chadian attack set off a chain of major events.  Monday, the 17th, representatives met in Cameroon's capital to plan the military cooperation of thirteen Central African states.  A total of $100 million was pledged to help fight Boko Haram. [10] 

That same day, Boko Haram attacked a Cameroon military camp. [11] Alongside of this attack, Abubakar Shekau released a video: "If you insist on continuing the aggression and coalition with the government of Chad, then we give you glad tidings that the land of Niger is easier than the land of Nigeria and moving the war to the depth of your cities will be the first reaction toward an aggression that occurs after this statement.” [12]

On the same day, the US backed a perennial counter-terrorism exercise.  A combination of armies from twenty-eight African and Western countries went through a warm-up exercise (called "Flintlock") in preparation for an offensive against Boko Haram.  The spokesman from Burkina Faso said “What we want is to learn to work together more effectively in fighting terrorism.  With Boko Haram, we have found that a single state cannot do it.” [13]

Chadian soldiers during the "Flintlock" exercises

UPDATE: "In Nigeria, Boko Haram Loses Ground to Chadians" - The New York Times.

Boko Haram Base Captured: Chad Taking Down Insurgents" - NAIJ.com (National Association of Independent Journalists - Nigeria)

[1] "Nigeria's Boko Haram Carries Out First Attack on Neighboring Chad".  http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/nigerias-boko-haram-carries-out-first-attack-neighboring-chad-n305716

[2] "Boko Haram Killings Reported in Chad for First Time", Ben Mathis-Lilley. http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/02/13/boko_haram_chad_attacks_spread_to_neighboring_country.html

[3] "Boko Haram Killings Reported in Chad for First Time", Ben Mathis-Lilley. http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/02/13/boko_haram_chad_attacks_spread_to_neighboring_country.html

[4] "Boko Haram Fast Facts". http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/09/world/boko-haram-fast-facts/

[5] "Boko Haram". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boko_Haram

[6] "Boko Haram". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boko_Haram

[7] "With Attack, Boko Haram Makes Chad Its Target", Adam Nossiter. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/14/world/africa/boko-haram-carries-out-first-attack-in-chad.html?_r=0

[8] "Nigeria's Boko Haram Carries Out First Attack on Neighboring Chad". http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/nigerias-boko-haram-carries-out-first-attack-neighboring-chad-n305716

[9] "Boko Haram Killings Reported in Chad for First Time", Ben Mathis-Lilley. http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/02/13/boko_haram_chad_attacks_spread_to_neighboring_country.html

[10] "Chad and Neighboring States Prepare to Take On Boko Haram". http://www.newsweek.com/chad-and-neighboring-states-prepare-take-boko-haram-307269

[11] "Chad and Neighboring States Prepare to Take On Boko Haram". http://www.newsweek.com/chad-and-neighboring-states-prepare-take-boko-haram-307269

[12] "Chad and Neighboring States Prepare to Take On Boko Haram". http://www.newsweek.com/chad-and-neighboring-states-prepare-take-boko-haram-307269

[13] "Chad and Neighboring States Prepare to Take On Boko Haram". http://www.newsweek.com/chad-and-neighboring-states-prepare-take-boko-haram-307269