Niger’s parliament has given an
unanimous approval for the
deployment of the country’s
troops to Nigeria to join a
multinational force taking on
the jihadist group, Boko Haram.
The Nigerien forces will join
their Chadian counterparts who
are already fighting on Nigerian
soil in north-eastern Borno State
where Boko Haram has killed
thousands and displaced many
more.
Ahead of the vote in Niamey
Monday, Boko Haram launched
an overnight raid Sunday on the
border town on Diffa, and
followed that up with a bomb
attack Monday.
Chad and Niger- by far smaller
than Nigeria- have grown into
military relevance in stopping
Boko Haram, after Nigeria for
five years failed to crush the
group and instead lost towns,
key military facilities and
weapons to the group.
Boko Haram vowed in a new
video released Monday to defeat
the coalition that also has
Cameroon, Nigeria’s neighbour
to the east.
The four countries, as well as
Benin, have agreed to send a
joint force of 7,500 troops to
battle the militant group.
Before Niger’s parliamentary
vote, the country massed more
than 3,000 troops in its southern
region of Diffa on the border
with Nigeria, awaiting approval
to cross into Nigeria.
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