Boko Haram News - Despite the announcement of the Nigerian government for a ceasefire, Boko Haram continues to stage attacks in the country. The group's violent upsurge raised doubts about the kidnapped schoolgirls diminishing the hopes for their imminent freedom.
Officially called as "Jamāʿat Ahl al-Sunna lil-Daʿawah wa al-Jihād" or "Association of the People of the Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad," Boko Haram is an Islamist movement based in northeast Nigeria which is responsible for kidnapping over 200 schoolgirls in April.
According to several news reports, the terrorist group has received training and funding from another Islamist militant organization called Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The United States designated Boko Haram as a terrorist organization in November 2013.
Boko Haram has killed over 5,000 civilians between July 2009 and June 2014. In the first half of 2014, the insurgents staged attacks mainly in some northeast, north central and central states if Nigeria killing at least 2,000 civilians. CNN reported despite Nigerian government's claim of a ceasefire, the Islamic fighters attacked two villages and a town near the border with Niger, killing at least 8 and abducting others.
Since 2009, Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency in the northern part of Nigeria. And the group has not yet responded to the government's declaration of a ceasefire agreement, which included the freedom of over 200 kidnapped schoolgirls. The news of the girls' abduction from their boarding school stunned the world in April.
According to NBC News, Nigeria's armed forces chief Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh declared the ceasefire on Friday to allow the release of the schoolgirls. The girls were kidnapped from the remote northeastern village of Chibok in April. However, Boko Haram remained silent and has not confirmed the truce.
Since the government's ceasefire announcement, Boko Haram has orchestrated at least five attacks that have killed dozens and abducted a number of residents, including women.
After the alleged ceasefire deal, The Telegraph UK reported at least 30 people were killed during the hostilities on Thursday and Friday. Because of the ongoing crisis, hundreds were forced to flee across the border into neighboring Niger.
Meanwhile, the shocking news of Boko Haram's abduction of the 219 schoolgirls has grabbed global attention. And people around the world are hoping the girls will be set free. But with the insurgents' recent attacks, the new hopes for freedom have diminished.
Supporters advocating the release of the kidnapped schoolgirls have created hashtag mantra "#BringBackOurGirls," that flooded the social media. Famous personalities like First Lady Michelle Obama, teen Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, Pope Francis and veteran actor Sean Penn have joined in.
The hashtag campaign has reawakened with messages of hope and anticipation after the government announced the news of their possible release. However, Boko Haram stays silent about the ceasefire agreement that the Nigerian government claimed to have signed by the Islamists last week.
As an alternative, Boko Haram carries on launching violent attacks, continuing the five-year conflict. This year, Nigeria's Islamic militants have employed mostly bloody ploys that killed thousands and have continued kidnapping.
Due to the ongoing attacks by Boko Haram, the news about the possible release of the kidnapped schoolgirls remained to be unclear. Hopes were diminished while doubts have increased. Because despite the many promises to find and free them, the girls are still in the hands of the terrorists.
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