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Boko Haram Leader Claims Control Of Nigerian Town

 

 

 

 

By Ashley Repp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

Gowza, Nigeria-  Boko Haram Releases Video Claiming Control in Northern Nigeria

 

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, an Islamic militant group with its roots in Nigeria, released a video commending group members for their work in capturing the town of Gowza.  The video asserts that the town, with a population of about 265,000, will now be under the governance of Islamic Law, and that this is major victory for the militants.

BokoHaram

Citizens of northern Nigeria are not strangers to the presence of Boko Haram, and the violence that tails the group.  Since 2009, thousands have been indiscriminately killed at the hands of Boko Haram.  Just this year, nearly 4,000 civilians fell victim to the deadly violence that Boko Haram so frequently employs in asserting authority and dominance.  The video recently released by Abubakar Shekau, shows pickup trucks with armed militants driving into Gowza.  About 20 men are shot dead in the video as well.  Many fled upon the arrival of the militants, though many were not fortunate enough to avoid the onslaught of gunfire and grenades.

Though the Nigerian military asserts that it is still in full control of Nigeria in its entirety, Boko Haram contends that this is untrue.  Many civilians in the area have also expressed that Nigerian military has been absent from the region.  Military absence creates a space in which Boko Haram influence can proliferate.  Furthermore, with the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, the growing influence of Boko Haram is particularly concerning.  While Abubakar Shekau mentioned Iraq in his video, there was no specific mention of an alliance or allegiance between ISIS and Boko Haram.  Nevertheless, this will be an allegiance to pay particular attention to.

Ultimately, in light of the recent news regarding Boko Haram, including their claim of responsibility in the kidnapping of about 200 school girls in April, the group is an entity that appears to have the requisite strength and ominous shadow to continue to grow.  Further growth will certainly compound issues for Nigeria, a country currently reeling from the devastation of an outbreak and the continued presence of Boko Haram.  It goes without saying that the Boko Haram situation will only continue to grow in strength and presence, unless it can be stopped, in the very least, by government and military forces.  Until a decisive shift in either direction is made, it seems the world, and Nigerians, can only watch and wait.

For more information please visit:

BBC News– Boko Haram Declares ‘Islamic State’ in Nigeria– 25 Aug, 2014

Boston Herald- Nigeria: Boko Haram Declares it is Islamic Caliphate– 25 Aug, 2014

Times of India- Boko Haram Chief Declares ‘Caliphate’ in Nigeria Town– 25 Aug, 2014

Reuters- Boko Haram Leader Says Ruling Nigerian Town by Islamic Law– 25 Aug, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

Confusion and Misunderstanding Fuel the Ebola Fire

By Ashley Repp
News Desk Reporter, Africa

West Africa– Lack of government outreach and denial of the disease are adding kindling to the Ebola fire. Denial regarding Ebola has been an overarching reality in many West African nations.  In March and April many governments refused to admit that there were Ebola cases in their villages, asserting to the international community that there was no chance of an Ebola outbreak, no looming epidemic to contend with.  Governments misstepped again by failing to alert the public to the presence of the deadly virus within their respective countries.  This issue was further compounded by the general lack of knowledge of how the virus is spread, and without dissemination of information regarding proper health precautions on how to avoid becoming infected, many West Africans are in denial that Ebola is actually an issue at their doorstep, or are fearful of the disease they don’t understand.  Regardless of which side West Africans find themselves on, their governments should be faulted for the limited resources, information, and awareness provided to combat the rapidly spreading virus.

ebola

Ebola is spread by contact with bodily fluids including, sweat, blood, urine, vomit, and mucus.  Understanding this is key, yet very few West Africans are aware of this.  As a result, ritual burials that often include extensive contact with the dead body still continue, despite the fact that such contact with a body infected with Ebola could be lethal.  As one news report mentioned, many people waver between fear and denial, exemplified by a girl in Liberia yelling at her friend not to touch her because “Ebola in town.”  Her friend responded that Ebola isn’t real, the government planted this seed of fear.  Others are certain that West African governments are only using Ebola to get aid from nations like the United States, and that it is not an actual issue.  Ultimately, denial and fear are spurring on Ebola, and lack of government outreach and uniformed people, are supporting the epidemic’s survival.

It wasn’t until several days ago that one country, Guinea, decided to shut its borders in an effort to keep Ebola at bay.  But with West Africa’s porous borders and largely weak governments, it is unlikely that this measure will ultimately have much effect.  Nevertheless, in the aftermath of West African governments failing their people by not disseminating information regarding the disease, and denying the Ebola crisis, steps, such as closing borders, may be a turning point for the epidemic.  But have these precautions come too late?

 

For more information, please visit:

All Africa- Guinea Shuts Boarders in Bid to Halt Ebola Spread- 9 Aug, 2014

All Africa- Nigeria: Ebola- Many Nigerians Still Ignorant of Disease- 8 Aug, 2014

All Africa- Liberia: You Ain’t Know Ebola In Town?- 9 Jul, 2014

All Africa- West Africa: Misconceptions Fuel Ebola Outbreak- 14 Jul, 2014

Recent Events Reflect a Growing ISIS Influence in Europe

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, England – With the recent beheading video of American journalist James Foley causing major concerns with the Western world, there has been a great effort to find who is responsible for the attack. Likely the biggest hint to go off has been the seeming London accent of the apparent murderer. If true, this further increases the worry over an ISIS presence in Europe.

A member of ISIS carries the Islamic State black flag. (Photo courtesy of Breitbart)

Europe may be a breeding ground of sorts for ISIS to recruit, especially in religiously tolerant and democratic nations such as England. Some European nations have taken a stronger approach against Muslims, like France, Belgium, and parts of Switzerland banning a burqa from being warn in public. England, however, has continued to preach religious freedom, which may have ultimately opened the doors for ISIS to spread their influence under the “free speech” banner.

The Netherlands has attempted to avoid taking a stronger stance on targeting religions like some of their neighbors, but eventually decided to crack down by banning the display of ISIS’s black flag. A growing concern over anti-Semitic protests in the Netherlands has led to a classification of the ISIS flag as banned political paraphernalia, now seen in the same light as a Nazi symbol.

Greece has recently discovered the conversion that occurred to a one-time resident of their country. Shamal Ahmad Tofiq of Kurdistan moved to Athens, and a little while thereafter met new acquaintances at a mosque that radicalized him. Now known as Sina Ahmad, he is fighting for ISIS in Kurdistan, regularly posting graphic images online of horribly disfigured bodies and regularly asking prior contacts to repent their sins and join the fight.

Some British, like Malcolm Rifkind, a former foreign secretary and defense secretary who is chairman of Parliament’s intelligence and security committee, seek a stronger response from England. “[The militants] need to be eliminated, and we should not be squeamish about how we do it,” Mr. Rifkind reported.

The alleged British murderer in the Foley video would be far from the only British member of ISIS. Three British militants who cling together, known as “The Beatles” and known for their brutality, have been handling hostages of ISIS in Syria. Further, there are as many as 400 Britons estimated within ISIS, along with 2,000 estimated Europeans. As these numbers continue to grow, and with what appears to be an easy entry from the Middle East into Europe through Turkey, Europe and the Western world worry over the possibility of a major attack.

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Britain Rejects Calls at Home to Join Forces With Assad Against Jihadists – 22 August 2014

NBC – Why Is Britain a Breeding Ground for ISIS Terrorists? – 22 August 2014

Fox News – How one Iraqi returned from Europe ready to kill family, friends – 21 August 2014

Breitbart – NETHERLANDS BANS ISIS FLAG AFTER ANTI-SEMITISM SURGE – 3 August 2014

Hamas Executes 18 Palestinians Suspected of Collaborating with Israel

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA CITY, GAZA – Hamas has executed 18 Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel.  The executions come one day after Israel killed three of Hamas’ top military commanders in an airstrike on a house in southern Gaza Strip.  The killings suggest an attempt to by Hamas to deter any future collaboration with Israel.

Palestinians watch outside of a mosque in Gaza as seven alleged Israel collaborators are executed by masked gunmen. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

Early Friday 11 people were killed, but whereabouts of the execution is uncertain.  Reports vary, claiming that the executions took place in the Gaza City police headquarters, an abandoned police station outside of Gaza, or in a public park in Gaza City.  These 11 were allegedly already sentenced to death for collaborating with Israel.

Seven more alleged collaborators were executed publicly in a central Gaza square later on Friday.  Masked gunmen dressed in black shot the victims outside a mosque after prayers had ended.  The victims had their heads covered and their hands tied.  Video footage showed blood running down the streets as children watched.

“The spies had their heads covered and were sitting by the wall outside the mosque,” said a witness at the mosque, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. “There were about 20 masked gunmen in the area. One of them said loudly that the death sentence is going to be carried out against seven collaborators.”

“They did not mention their names,” he added. “They shot them after that and then the militants left. People were shouting, God is great.”

Al Jazeera’s Jacky Rowland, reporting from West Jerusalem, said Israel’s intelligence services rely, in part, on informers to pinpoint the whereabouts of Hamas leaders.

“Israel has a long and successful history of recruiting collaborators and informers both in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, and they do so through a variety of different means: sometimes it is financial inducements; other times it is blackmail, bullying, threats, promises [and] maybe intimidating family members,” Rowland said.

The killings are reminiscent of executions that took place during Israel last Gaza offensive in 2012.  During that period at least seven vigilante executions took place, including one of a handcuffed man identified as Ashraf Ouaida.  Quaida’s bloody body was left beneath a billboard with a sign indicating that he aided in the killing of 15 Palestinian leaders.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Hamas executes 18 suspected informers – 22 August 2014

BBC –  Gaza: Hamas says 18 suspected informants executed – 22 August 2014

Haaretz – Hamas executes 18 ‘collaborators’ in Gaza – 22 August 2014

NY Times – Gazans Suspected of Collaborating With Israel Are Executed – 22 August 2014

Reuters – Gaza gunmen execute ‘collaborators’; mortar kills Israeli boy – 22 August 2014

Growing Concerns Over ISIS Lead France to Question Whether European Involvement is Necessary

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

PARIS, France – The United States began a series of airstrikes in Iraq this week in an attempt to assist resistance against the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (“ISIS”), leading Europe to question whether to get involved, and if so, how involvement should be done.

An ISIS soldier holds up an ISIL flag. (Photo courtesy of the Christian Post)

On Monday, France called a meeting of European Union foreign affairs in order to determine what should be done about the Middle East. ISIS is spreading and growing at a rapid pace, and European nations are worried that if left alone, turmoil in the Middle East could become a global threat. ISIS fighting has already spread throughout the nations of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and has caused massive disturbances.

The fears of a possible Christian genocide by ISIS has led to a huge fleeing of Christians from the region, leaving areas like Mosul completely free of Christians. In an attempt to mitigate the number of Christians killed, France has helped facilitate asylum for those in Iraq fleeing ISIS.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius believes that the way to counter ISIS is to give the Kurds in Iraq “equipment that will allow them to defend themselves and to counterattack.” Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini further said the goal is “providing support, even of a military sort, to the Kurdish government.”

One problem, however, is that France is already committed militarily to Africa. France further believes that the United States is better suited to fight ISIS in Iraq and help support the Kurds. France, on the other hand, is better suited to support Lebanon in the fight against ISIS, as France has close ties with the Lebanese army and trains Lebanese officers. It is also believed that weapons held by the Lebanese army would be less likely to fall into the hands of the enemy.

After allowing the fight in Syria to develop over three years into the large catastrophe that it is now, concerns loom over whether an early intervention now is necessary to prevent a larger ordeal in the future with ISIS. However, NATO has recently declared it a “high probability” that Russia will militarily intervene in Eastern Ukraine under the guise of a “humanitarian aid.” 45,000 Russian troops are currently aligned on the joint border with Ukraine, having amassed as Kiev pushes further east and nears the larger pro-Russian held cities like Donetsk. With a possible invasion of a European nation looking more and more possible by the day, the EU will certainly be cautious to invest militarily to any outside conflicts just in case help is needed at home.

For more information, please see:

Arab News – France asks EU to arm Kurds in Iraq – 12 August 2014

Vice News – Europe Is Still Pondering What to Do in Iraq – 11 August 2014

Reuters – Russia sending aid convoy to Ukraine despite Western warnings of ‘invasion pretext’ – 11 August 2014

France 24 – French military effort against ISIS ‘should focus on Lebanon’ – 11 August 2014

France 24 – Iraq’s fleeing Christians rebuild shattered lives in France – 10 August 2014