On April 19 in Baga (Borno State) has been reported heavy fighting between Islamist militants Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces causing 185 casualties and destroying about 2,000 houses. There is a great number of deaths among the civilian population, probably used as a shield by Islamists, who would find themselves surrounded by security forces. On 1 May Human Rights Watch published information about human-rights violations committed against civilians during clashes between militant Islamist sect Boko Haram and state security forces on 16-17 April in Baga.
On 2 May gunmen entered the town of Marte (Borno state, 150km north-east of Maiduguri) with many four-wheel drive vehicles and weapons and attacked the Local Government Area, burning many public infrastructure.
It is believed that the situation remains highly precarious in the area and that the methods of action of the Nigerian forces, which have operated indiscriminately hitting civilian houses and shelters militants Boko Haram, may therefore lead to a climate of high hostility from part of the local community against them.
The militants have shown an increase in operational skills including through the use of heavy weapons (RPGs), presumably due to illicit arms trafficking across the borders of Chad and Cameroon.
The Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau continue to oppose an amnesty agreement with the government of President Goodluck Jonathan (Christian, member of the PDP), which has set up a committee in charge, composed of clerics, lawyers and politicians. The prospects for peace in the medium term are rather negative and continue to be hampered by strong ideological basis of the group.
Fonte immagini: emn-new.com
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