Forces from Niger and Chad have
launched a ground and air offensive against militant group Boko Haram in
north-eastern Nigeria, officials say.
The campaign is said to be targeting militants in Borno state.
It
came as Nigerian officials dismissed Boko Haram's pledge of allegiance
to Islamic State as a reaction to military pressure from Nigeria and its
allies.
The pledge was posted online on Saturday in an audio message by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.
He called on Muslims everywhere to swear loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Boko
Haram has been fighting an insurgency to create an Islamic state in
northern Nigeria since 2009, and in recent months the violence has
increasingly spilled over into neighbouring states.
'Drowning man'
Chad, Cameroon and Niger have already been helping Nigeria in its battle against Boko Haram.
On
Friday, the African Union endorsed the creation of a regional force of
more than 8,000 troops to combat the group. However, the force's remit
will be limited to securing the Nigerian side of Lake Chad, rather than
pushing further into Nigeria.
As the latest offensive began early
on Sunday, a resident and an aid worker told AFP news agency there had
been heavy arms fire close to Niger's border with Nigeria.
A
local radio station said that a convoy of more than 200 vehicles was
moving towards the area, and that air strikes had been carried out on
Saturday and early on Sunday.
The Nigerian military and troops from neighbouring states have
recently claimed some success in their campaign against Boko Haram, and
Nigerian officials said the pledge of allegiance to IS was a sign of
weakness
Army spokesman Col Sami Usman Kukasheka said the Boko Haram leader was like a "drowning man".
"There is no surprise that he is craving for support from fellow terrorists across the world," he told the BBC World Service.
"Basically
he's just trying to create panic to create a plea for help that will
not even come because very soon we will see to the end of the insurgency
in Nigeria." Boko Haram at a glance
Founded
in 2002, initially focused on opposing Western-style education - Boko
Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language
Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - has also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
Abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls
Controls several north-eastern towns
Launched attacks on neighbouring states
Why is Boko Haram so strong? Can regional force beat Islamists? IS shaping Boko Haram media A
spokesman for the Nigerian government, Mike Omeri, said Boko Haram
needed help "as a result of the heavy casualties and bombardment and
degrading of their capacity".
However, militants have continued
to launch deadly attacks. On Saturday Boko Haram was blamed for a series
of attacks in its former stronghold of Maiduguri, including suicide
bombings, that left more than 50 people dead.
Nigeria postponed
national elections by six weeks until 28 March in order to have more
time to try to improve security in the north.
Col Kukasheka called
on Nigerians "to be more security conscious because given the onslaught
on Boko Haram definitely they are bound to spring surprises".
IS took control of large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq last year.
It
has forged links with other militant groups across North Africa and the
Arabian Peninsula, and in January, militants in Afghanistan and
Pakistan pledged their allegiance.
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