Source: www.barnabasfund.org
Date: April 14, 2020
Even as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across Africa, brutal attacks by Islamist terrorist groups continue with an increase in activity reported in several regions.
Analysts observed that Islamist groups are calling for a step up in attacks worldwide, via their online networks, as governments and security agencies concentrate their efforts and resources on combatting Covid-19 and maintaining social order under lockdown.
Jihadi groups, including Islamic State and al-Qaeda, celebrated coronavirus, describing the contagion as a “small soldier of Allah”. Analysts report that the Islamist militants see the virus as a divine punishment sent against Western countries and against Muslims who are not sufficiently devout, and sent with the purpose of facilitating jihad against them. Islamic State’s online magazine highlights that the virus has killed more Americans than 9/11. Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, director of research at The George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, has commented, “They argue that fighting jihad is the surest way to guarantee protection from the virus.”
Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) activities in the notorious Lake Chad area are reported to be on the rise while Chad and neighbouring Nigeria are under Covid-19 lockdown. A spate of deadly Islamist militant attacks was recorded in several territories in early April.
In Adamawa State, Nigeria, Fulani militant herdsmen raided Kirchinga village on the 6 April wounding a man in the leg and destroying houses and shops. Just a day earlier, on 5 April, Boko Haram had ambushed a Nigerian Army convoy, killing 47 soldiers.
In Bamba in northern Mali, also on 6 April, Muslim militants attacked a military base killing 25 Malian soldiers before they were repelled
In the Far North Cameroonian town of Amchide, two Boko Haram terrorists detonated suicide bombs on 5 April, killing seven and injuring 15 in the predominately Christian region. Two teenagers and a village leader were among the dead.
In another 5 April attack, two soldiers from the Multinational Task Force patrolling in the Lake Chad region of Far North Cameroon, were killed in a Boko Haram ambush. This came weeks after Boko Haram inflicted one of its deadliest assaults on the Chadian military, killing 92 soldiers in a single attack on a military base on the Boma peninsula on 23 March.
Overnight, on 22 March, Islamist militants attacked and occupied the town of Mocimboa da Praia, Mozambique, a major base for the growing oil industry. They tore down Mozambique flags on government buildings and raised Islamic State flags.