A group that monitors extremist organizations says the Islamic State group has posted what is thought to be the first video from IS-affiliated fighters in Somalia.

The video posted online calls on supporters to “hunt down” what it calls nonbelievers and attack churches and markets.

The SITE Intelligence Group says the video urges supporters to take advantage of people’s “drunkenness” over the holiday season to attack.

The United States last month launched its first drone strikes against Islamic State group-affiliated fighters in Somalia. The Horn of Africa nation has a small but growing presence of the fighters, many of them defectors from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group.

The fighters are based in northern Somalia’s rural Puntland. Experts warn their numbers could grow as IS fighters flee Syria and Iraq.

Troops foiled an attempt by Boko Haram fighters to invade Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, like reported by punchng.com.

If they had succeeded, the otherwise peaceful Christmas celebration in Maiduguri would have turned tragic.

Since the war on the Boko Haram insurgents became full blown six years ago, residents have been locked in during religious festivals and this was the first Christmas to be celebrated with Christians allowed to attend worship centres.

The services were, however, under heavy security watch as many churches were guided by police even as pockets of security screenings were made on the streets to prevent security breach.

Just as everyone thought the day was peaceful, gunshots rent the air at about 5.30pm sending everyone scampering into safety.

Our correspondent gathered that the soldiers had engaged insurgents who were trying to enter the town.

A soldier, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Boko Haram insurgents attacked Molai, a village of about five kilometres away from Maiduguri.

The soldier, who was one of those at a checkpoint at Molai, told our correspondent that a large number of Boko Haram fighters were moving towards the town but were engaged by the military.

A senior military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Christmas day attack was anticipated and all military and security agents were put on red alert.

All attempts to get details of the attacks from both the Army and Police were unsuccessful as their spokesmen did not respond to text messages sent to their mobile phones by our correspondent.

The Nigerian Army, yesterday said its troops had killed 20 Boko Haram insurgents in a clearance operation in the Lake Chad Basin.

Timothy Antigha, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri.

Antigha said that the troops captured 17 insurgents, rescued 100 people, recovered vehicles and ammunition.

He said the six soldiers that sustained injuries in the operation were referred to military medical facility for treatment.

He said the operations were conducted in the past two weeks in islands in the Lake Chad region to crush Boko Haram insurgents inhabiting the islands.

He said: “In continuation of Operation Deep Punch 2, designed to smoke out Boko Haram terrorists inhabiting remote islands in Lake Chad basin lying within Nigerian territory, troops of 8 Division, Nigerian Army, on Operation Lafiya Dole, supported by soldiers of the Armed Forces Strike Group, have inflicted heavy casualties on Boko Haram terrorists.

“The operation which commenced about two weeks ago preceded by coordinated air and artillery bombardments of islands and localities occupied by terrorists. The insurgents sneak into Magumeri, Kauram and other locations to loot property, attack security personnel and villagers.

“Islands and villages cleared so far include Arena Chiki, Chikun Gudu, Arena Waje, Sa’ada and Juwe.”

Antigha disclosed that the rescued civilians included 100 elderly men, women and children.

He added that preliminary investigation revealed that most of the rescued persons were held hostage and forced to work in the farms.

The army spokesman listed the ammunition recovered to include one Mercedes Benz truck, two gun trucks, two pick up vans, one anti – aircraft machine gun, five AK-47 riffles, three Fabrique Nationals (FN) riffles, two G3 riffles and one pump action riffle.

Others are one rocket propelled grenade tube, two bombs, two very high frequency radios and one night vision goggle.

The troops also recovered 55 rounds of 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition, five Bangalore torpedo, two 120mm mortar bombs and 1000 rounds of 7.62 mm ball metal link ammunition.

Other ammunition included 55 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, 108 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, two memory cards, two hydraulic jacks and a 1.5 amp battery.

The ambush that killed four American soldiers in Niger two months ago took everyone by surprise: the U.S. government, AFRICOM and West Africa analysts alike. But it shouldn’t have: Salafi-jihadi groups have been operating in the region for years. These groups take advantage of fragile governance and weak law enforcement. They co-opt local grievances, promoting their extremist ideology among the population, like reported by intpolicydigest.org.

What the October ambush shows is that sheer military strength can’t stop extremist ideology by itself. Rather than increasing its military presence in Niger, the United States should help the country build stronger institutions. Promoting good governance and local political participation will be a cheaper, safer, and more sustainable policy.

First, investing in good governance and building local institutions is significantly cheaper than increasing the number of U.S. troops stationed in the country. Looking back to Afghanistan, it cost nearly $1 million per year to support the deployment of each soldier. The cost of deploying U.S. troops to Niger- a harsh and unwelcoming environment with limited provisions- is likely to be in that range as well.

Second, good governance initiatives are more sustainable. During recent protests in the capital Niamey, citizens demonstrated against the presence of French and American troops in their country. Reinforcing already existing institutions is a more peaceful policy approach, which promotes local solutions to local issues and allows the U.S. to take a secondary role within a foreign country.

Finally, good governance initiatives increase the safety of U.S. troops. Increased U.S. force deployments will result in more casualties. The success of the October attack against U.S. forces will encourage Salafi-jihadi groups to further target the U.S. military. The deaths of the four U.S. servicemen are a political cost for the current administration. One can only imagine the implications that more casualties will bring.

Some will argue that this is not a guaranteed solution and that measuring its success is nearly impossible. But military engagement isn’t a guaranteed success either. Additionally, in supporting good governance, the U.S. minimizes the risk of radicalization of other civilians.

Furthermore, many will argue that if Africa has not been a priority for so many years, why should it become one now? The first-ever casualties since the U.S. became engaged in the region have led to increased interest in Niger. The U.S. government should capitalize on the current media focus and push for increased funds that will enable the Niger government to address grievances more effectively than the militant groups do.

Investment in good governance will help the U.S. avoid a long and expensive conflict far away from home. At the same time, it will help Niger create stronger institutions and battle extremism at its roots. It is cheaper, safer, and more sustainable. Good governance is a more durable path to security and peace.

Nigeria Army serving under the Operation Lafiya Dole in Borno State have killed 20 Boko Haram members and recovered some deadly weapons, like reported by dailypost.ng.

Weapons purportedly recovered from the terrorists include 3 Toyota Land Cruiser Gun Trucks, 5 AK-47 Riffles, 3 Fabrique Nationals (FN) Riffles, 2 G3 Riffles and 1 Pump Action Rifle.

Other items were 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tube, 2 Bombs, 2 Very High Frequency (VHF) Radios and 1 Night Vision Google.

The Deputy Director Public Relations, Colonel Timothy Antigha, on Wednesday in a statement said the soldiers were able to arrest 17 of the sect members while rescuing over 100 people.

Antigha said the operation was made possible following a supported air bombardment by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

“In continuation of Operation DEEP PUNCH 2, designed to smoke out Boko Haram terrorists inhabiting remote islands in Lake Chad basin lying within the Nigerian territory, troops of 8 Division, Nigerian Army, on Operation LAFIYA DOLE, supported by soldiers of the Armed Forces Strike Group have inflicted heavy casualty on the Boko Haram terrorists.

“The operation which commenced about two weeks ago was proceeded by coordinated air and artillery bombardment of islands and localities occupied by terrorists, and from where they sneak into Magumeri, Kauram and other locations to loot property and attack security personnel and villagers.

“So far, 20 terrorists have been killed, captured 17 others, while over 100 elderly men, women and children have been rescued. Preliminary investigation has revealed that a large number of the rescued persons were held against their will and forced to work on farms under life-threatening conditions and penurious wages. More investigation and interviews will be conducted before the rescued persons are handed over for further action,” the statement reads.

The army spokesman, however, said that six soldiers sustained various injuries and have since been evacuated for prompt medical attention.

A U.S. airstrike in southern Somalia on Friday killed eight al-Qaida-linked militants, U.S. Africa Command announced according to stripes.com.

The strike against al-Shabab militants about 30 miles northwest of the coastal city Kismayo also destroyed a vehicle, according to an AFRICOM statement.

The strike was the United States’ 33rd in Somalia in 2017, primarily targeting al-Shabab fighters as well as a small contingent of Islamic State-linked militants. It marks a dramatic increase over the 14 airstrikes that U.S. forces conducted in the east African nation in 2016, which marked the busiest year for the U.S. military during former President Barack Obama’s administration.

“U.S forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measure to protect U.S. citizens and to disable terrorist threats,” according to the AFRICOM statement.

President Donald Trump in April expanded AFRICOM’s authorities to conduct strikes in Somalia. In recent months, the United States has also increased its force strength in the nation, where it now has roughly 500 troops, the most its deployed there since the early 1990s.

No civilians were killed in the strike Friday, according to AFRICOM.

The Naval Criminal Investigation Service, at AFRICOM’s request, is probing an Aug. 25 raid in Somalia in which U.S. troops are accused of killing civilians alongside Somali forces. AFRICOM officials have denied civilians were killed in that raid, contending a review by Special Operations Command Africa earlier this year concluded only armed combatants were killed in the operation.

Four aid workers with the World Food Programme, WFP, have been kidnapped in Borno State, like reported by premiumtimesng.com. The WFP is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the WFP said the gunmen ambushed one of their military-escorted convoy of food trucks taking supply to an internally displaced persons camp in Ngala village of Borno State on Saturday.

Four persons were confirmed killed during the attack. Sources also told this medium that three other persons were abducted the by the gunmen, suspected to be members of Boko Haram.

According to the WFP’s Communication Officer at the Maiduguri area office, Adedeji Ademigbuji, two of the four persons killed were the truck driver and his assistant.

But sources familiar with the attack confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that three other persons were taken away by the gunmen who drove the food trucks to an unknown destination. WFP in its confirmation email was silent about the abduction of the three other persons.

“WFP can confirm that a convoy escorted by the Nigerian military including WFP hired trucks was the subject of an attack by armed groups 35km southwest of Ngala in Borno State on Saturday (16 December)”, said Mr Ademigbuji.

“Four people, including the driver of a WFP-hired truck and a driver’s assistant, were killed in the incident. WFP extends its condolences to the bereaved families.

“WFP is working with the authorities to determine the whereabouts of the trucks,” he said.

The source who spoke to journalists in Maiduguri on condition of anonymity because he is not permitted to speak to the media said one of the trucks was burnt by the attackers.

It has not been ascertained if the other two people killed in the attack are civilians or members of the military escort.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Activities (UNOCHA) had in its October report expressed concern that some remote locations of Borno State could not be assessed by humanitarian workers due to activities of the insurgents.

The military is yet to issue a statement on this incident.

The Boko Haram activities in Borno and neighbouring states have caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009.

In Syria and Iraq, ISIS will soon be history. But even as it struggles to stay alive and relevant, it is critical that it not be allowed to regroup and flourish elsewhere, like reported by voa.gov.

“Terrorist groups with safe haven are able to export their violence around the world, striking our homeland and those of our closest allies. We saw al-Qa’ida do this from Afghanistan in the 1990s through 9/11; more recently, we saw ISIS do the same from Iraq and Syria,” said Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Sales before a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee recently.

For that reason, the United States is working with partners in North Africa in order to deny terrorists the ability to operate in the continent’s vast spaces where government reach is lacking.

“To mitigate the threat posed by terrorist groups in North Africa, we are helping fragile states build capacity as well as leveraging highly capable states’ counterterrorism expertise. We want to develop our African partners’ counterterrorism capabilities to a point where they need not rely on assistance from the United States to defend themselves,” said Ambassador Sales.

The United States works with its partner states to improve their ability to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorism crimes. To stop terrorist travel, we are focusing on improving border security through information sharing at international borders, particularly with regard to known and suspected terrorists.

Our efforts to prevent radicalization and recruitment of individuals into terrorist groups include delegitimizing the violent ideology they espouse. “Countering radicalization in a way that is tailored to each North African country is another critical component of a comprehensive approach to counterterrorism,” said Ambassador Sales.

We undertake these efforts in cooperation with European allies, other key partners, and multilateral institutions to amplify their impact. “The United States uses a range of tools and resources and works closely with the governments of North Africa and other partners to comprehensively address terrorism,” said Ambassador Sales.“Our training and resources are directly assisting partners to disrupt terrorist operations, prosecute terrorist suspects, and protect borders.”

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an international meeting in Paris on Wednesday to discuss means to provide political, military and financial support to the African Common Force, which was formed earlier this year to combat terrorism in the Sahel, like reported by aawsat.com.

The summit achieved remarkable results, with Saudi Arabia pledging 100 million Euros to the joint force, becoming the largest state to finance terrorism in the Sahel, while the UAE promised 30 million Euros and Washington had already announced aid of up to USD 60 million.

Participants included leaders of the African countries that form the joint force known as the G5S (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger), as well as Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the prime ministers of Belgium and Italy, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, as well as representatives of the UAE, United States, the United Nations and African and European countries.

The summit discussed the situation in Mali, where the parties have so far failed to implement the peace agreement reached after the French military intervention in this country with the help of Algeria. The latter did not attend the summit, as the French president did not succeed to convince Algerian officials during his visit to Algers last week to participate in the meeting of La Celle-Saint-Cloud.

“We must win the war against terrorism in the Sahel-Sahara region,” Macron told reporters after meeting with the five countries’ presidents and other leaders including Merkel.

“There are attacks every day. There are states which are currently in jeopardy,” he added.

A summit in Brussels in February is set to focus on raising more cash to provide further security to the African Continent.

“We cannot wait. We need to start leading the fight as soon as possible,” the German Chancellor said after Wednesday’s meeting. “This is an urgent task,” she added.

The United States now reportedly has permission to fly armed drones in support of its operations in the west African country of Niger, but it remains unclear if it has done so, or if it even has the capability to do so, yet. Satellite imagery and planned fuel purchases do indicate increased U.S. military activity in the country, and potentially in neighboring Algeria, even before a deadly ambush near the village of Tongo Tongo that resulted in the deaths of four American troops, like reported by thedrive.com.

On Nov. 30, 2017, The New York Times reported that U.S. and Nigerien authorities had reached an understanding regarding the use of armed unmanned aircraft inside the country, citing anonymous officials and an official memorandum. Unnamed sources subsequently gave similar details to other outlets. According to Reuters, the United States had not made use of the new agreement at that time, and it was unclear who would have to approve any such strike. At the time of writing, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) had not yet responded to The War Zone’s query about whether drones were now flying armed missions over Niger.

The memo The Times obtained said that the American facilities adjacent to the Nigerien Air Force’s Base Aérienne 101, attached to Diori Hamani International Airport in the country’s capital Niamey, would host the new armed flights. Since 2013, the U.S. Air Force’s 324th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron has flown MQ-9 Reapers from the base, but for surveillance missions without any weapons. One publicly available image, seen at the top of this story, shows a drone with a drop tank for extended range under one wing and an empty pylon under the other.

American and Nigerien officials had reportedly been working on the new arrangement for months, but both parties moved to finish the deal after a deadly ambush by suspected terrorists from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, or ISGS, close the Niger-Mali border led to the deaths of four U.S. Army soldiers between Oct. 4 and 6, 2017.

Satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe, provided through Google Earth, shows significant unmanned aircraft activity in Niamey even before then. The most recent image, dated Sept. 9, 2017, caught no less than three Reapers outside of their clam shell hangars, including one on the taxiway leading to Diori Hamani’s main runway.

It’s not clear whether or not all three aircraft belong to the 324th, though. France flies its own Reapers from facilities next to the American base. Before October 2017, the French had secured the right to fly armed missions from Niamey with their drones, as well as Mirage 2000D fighter jets. The Satellite imagery also shows French and German C-160 Transall transports and a French KC-135FR tanker at the base, all of which are supporting those countries counter-terrorism and security assistance efforts in the region.

A Reaper flying from the base was reportedly overhead during the Tongo Tongo within minutes of American commanders receiving a request for additional support from the embattled troops, followed by French Mirages and helicopters. Earlier in December 2017, BuzzFeed News reported that the American personnel and their Nigerien partners had in fact crossed the border briefly into Mali to hunt for specific militants during the operation, citing various named and unnamed Nigerien officials.

U.S. military personnel, and private contractors supporting their missions can “be temporarily present in the Republic of Niger in connection with visits, training, exercises, and humanitarian activities, and other activities as mutually agreed,” according to the 2013 Status of Forces Agreement. The combined force then found itself ambushed as it made its way back to a forward base in the city of Ouallam, which effectively lies halfway between Tongo Tongo and Niamey.

The new details only raised new questions about the nature of and planning for the supposedly “low risk” mission, the resources available to American forces in the region, and oversight of those activities. It remains unclear whether or not the unit was even suitably equipped for that task and if not, why not? The exact circumstances of the incident remain under investigation.

There are other indications that the United is indeed stepping up its presence in and around Niger in the aftermath of the firefight near Tongo Tongo. “The war is morphing. You’re going to see more actions in Africa, not less,” Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, had told reporters after meeting with Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Oct. 20, 2017.

On Dec. 1, 2017, the Defense Logistics Agency issued an amendment to a contract notice regarding prepositioned supplies at jet fuel at sites throughout Europe and Africa in support of U.S. military activities. The change specifically added a requirement for supplies of commercial Jet A fuel at three sites: Manu Dayak Airport in the central Nigerien city of Agadez, Houari Boumediene Airport in the Algerian capital Algiers, and Tamanrasset/Aguenar Airport.

Tamanrasset/Aguenar, which is also co-located with an Algerian Air Force Base, is situated in Algeria less than 200 miles from the Nigerien border and within 300 miles of Mali. Terrorists, other militants, and criminal organizations all operate with significant freedom in this sparely inhabited tri-border area.

DLA says it wants fuel to be in place starting in March 2018 and running at least through September 2019. At the time of publishing, AFRICOM had not yet responded to questions about the exact nature of its activities, or those of contractors supporting the command, at Tamanrasset/Aguenar.