Chad, Niger launch air, ground strikes against Boko Haram as troops recapture Buni Yadi

Niger and Chad, yesterday, launched major ground and air strikes in the North-East against Boko Haram, after the militants formally pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.





The attacks, which followed a sustained build-up of troops in southern Niger, have opened up a new front in regional efforts to wipe out the Islamist group, whose six-year insurgency has spread across borders.

The Nigerian troops also, weekend, recaptured Buni Yadi town, the headquarters of Gujba Local Government Area and Buni Gari town both in Yobe State from the terrorists.
“Very early this morning, troops from Niger and Chad began an offensive against Boko Haram in the area of Bosso and near Diffa,” a Niger government source in Niamey told AFP on condition of anonymity.
More than 200 vehicles, some of them with machine guns, as well as tanks, ambulances, water tankers and transport trucks, were seen moving towards the border, radio station Anfani, based in Diffa, said.

Aircraft targeted Boko Haram positions on Saturday and early yesterday, it added, while a Diffa resident and aid worker said troops were seen heading to the border and heavy gunfire was heard.
The previously lacklustre counter-insurgency against Boko Haram has been given renewed vigour with the deployment of troops from Cameroon, Chad and Niger last month.
Troops record victories
The armies have claimed series of successes in rebel-held territories in recent weeks, as part of an operation to clear and control the northeastern states in time for the general elections set for March 28 and April 11.
Much of the focus has been on Chad’s army, which has experience in tackling Al-Qaeda-linked extremists in Mali alongside French forces.
But the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said the Nigerien and Chadian attacks were “complementary to the ongoing push against the terrorists.
“The mission of routing the terrorists from Nigeria’s territory is being conducted from various fronts in and out of Nigeria and is achieving expected results so far,” he said in a text message.
On Friday, the African Union endorsed the creation of a regional force of up to 10,000 men to join the fight against























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