West Africa to Establish Multi-National Force against Boko Haram

Local Editor

West African leaders plan to establish a multi-national force to counter Boko Haram militants operating in the region, as they said in a summit in Niger on Tuesday.

The decision was made on Tuesday following a summit attended by the presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Benin and the foreign minister of Cameroon in Niger's capital of Niamey.

The heads of state said in a joint statement that the leaders agreed to speed up the creation of a headquarters for the force and have military battalions deployed "to our respective borders" by November 1.
The new headquarters for the force is now due to be completed by November 20, the leaders added.

Boko Haram militants have established a strong presence in northeastern Nigeria and have committed massacres in the region.

The militant group has also claimed responsibility for a number of deadly shooting attacks and bombings in various parts of Nigeria since the beginning of its militancy in 2009. Over 10,000 people have so far been killed in the assaults.

Furthermore, the group has also conducted a number of assaults and kidnappings in Cameroon, including the abduction of the wife to the country's deputy prime minister, Amadou Ali, in late July. Following the abduction, the Cameroonian army launched a successful operation and rescued the abductee.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team