Space Travel News  
AFRICA NEWS
Boko Haram's Shekau 'wounded' in air strike: Nigeria
by Staff Writers
Lagos (AFP) Aug 23, 2016


Nigeria's military claimed Tuesday to have seriously injured Boko Haram's elusive leader Abubakar Shekau and killed other commanders in an air strike on the Islamist group's forest stronghold.

The announcement was met with scepticism by Boko Haram experts who pointed out that Nigeria has repeatedly claimed to have killed Shekau in previous raids only for the militant leader to surface shortly afterwards in videos.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is on a visit to the northern Nigerian city of Sokoto, praised the country for its recent gains against the Islamic insurgents but made no mention of the claims that the group's leader was injured.

Shekau was "fatally wounded in the shoulder" during Friday's raids, said army spokesman Sani Usman in a statement, without giving further details.

"I said wounded, if there is any other development I will let you know," Usman told AFP in a text message.

Usman also said three Boko Haram commanders -- Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman -- were confirmed dead with several others injured.

The claim comes as Kerry visits the country on a two-day trip for talks likely to focus on the fight against Boko Haram and the sputtering economy.

"It is unclear if there is any other confirmation that Shekau himself has died of his wounds, and we should remember that Shekau has been claimed dead on a number of occasions before," Omar Mahmood, a researcher at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies, told AFP.

"Nonetheless, the announcement comes at an interesting time given the recent leadership rift within the movement and if Shekau is incapacitated as a result that will be a major blow to his faction."

The Nigerian military may be trying to prove the legitimacy of using airstrikes after a video was released earlier this month claiming that some of the 218 kidnapped Chibok girls had died following an aerial attack on Boko Haram camps by government forces.

"This is the Nigerian military saying that this is a very viable strategy," security analyst Ryan Cummings said.

The mysterious Shekau's fate has been the subject of speculation recently amid claims he had been replaced by Sheikh Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the group's former spokesman.

Barnawi's appointment was contained in a magazine issued by the Islamic State group, to which Boko Haram pledged allegiance in March last year.

But only a week later, the shadowy Shekau surfaced in a video posted on social media, ridiculing suggestions of his death and looking more composed and energetic than in previous appearances.

Boko Haram, which seeks to impose strict Islamic law in Nigeria's mainly-Muslim north, has killed some 20,000 people and forced at least 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
AFRICA NEWS
Initial agreement reached in Mozambique peace talks
Maputo (AFP) Aug 17, 2016
Mozambique's government has agreed to a regional power-sharing deal with the main opposition party Renamo, representatives announced Wednesday, the first deal clinched in ongoing peace talks in Maputo. Renamo has refused to accept the results of 2014 elections, when it was beaten once more by the Frelimo party, in power since independence 40 years ago. Clashes between government forces a ... read more


AFRICA NEWS
Ariane 5 is approved for this week's Arianespace launch with two Intelsat payloads

Russian Space Corporation, US Boeing Reach Deal on Dispute Over Sea Launch

Two Intelsat payloads installed on Ariane 5 for next heavy-lift launch

New payload preparation milestones bring Ariane 5's upcoming mission closer to liftoff

AFRICA NEWS
MAVEN Spacecraft Gears Up to Observe Global Dust Storm on Mars

Full-Circle Vista from NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Shows 'Murray Buttes'

Opportunity rover studying grooves

So you want to drive a spacecraft

AFRICA NEWS
Space tourists eye $150mln Soyuz lunar flyby

Roscosmos to spend $7.5Mln studying issues of manned lunar missions

Lockheed Martin, NASA Ink Deal for SkyFire Infrared Lunar Discovery Satellite

As dry as the moon

AFRICA NEWS
Pluto Flyby - A Year Later

Scientists attempt to explain Neptune atmosphere's wobble

New Distant Dwarf Planet Beyond Neptune

Researchers discover distant dwarf planet beyond Neptune

AFRICA NEWS
A new Goldilocks for habitable planets

Venus-like Exoplanet Might Have Oxygen Atmosphere, but Not Life

Brown dwarfs reveal exoplanets' secrets

Scientists to unveil new Earth-like planet: report

AFRICA NEWS
NASA to hold Industry Day to discuss Universal Stage Adapter

First results show success for second NASA SLS booster test

Orbital ATK and NASA report outcomes from Qualification Motor QM-2 test

Mechanisms are Critical to Space Vehicle Flight Success

AFRICA NEWS
China Ends Preparatory Work on Long March 5 Next-Generation Rocket Engine

China launches hi-res SAR imaging satellite

China launches world first quantum satellite

China launches first mobile telecom satellite

AFRICA NEWS
From Solo Cup to an asteroid: NASA's newest space mission

NASA prepares to launch first US asteroid sample return mission

NASA Asteroid Redirect Mission Completes Design Milestone

Bringing Home NASA's First Asteroid Samples









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.