Multinational Joint Taskforce
Nigerian forces announced that they had retaken the town of Gwoza, which is believed to be Boko Haram‘s headquarters, according to the BBC.
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Last August, Boko Haram leader Abubaker Shekau enthusiastically announced the expansion of his Islamic caliphate with the recent possession of Gwoza.
As Face2Face Africa previously reported:
During [his] 52-minute video, Shekau declared the town of Gwoza of Borno State a part of his Islamic caliphate, which is an Islamic state headed by a supreme religious or political leader.
“Thanks be to Allah who gave victory to our brethren in Gwoza and made it part of the Islamic caliphate.
“By the grace of Allah we will not leave the town. We have come to stay.”
And as Face2Face Africa previously reported, Boko Haram had waged a devastating
Residents of Gwoza weep after June Boko Haram attack kills 200
offensive against government forces in order to finally claim victory:
Gwoza has been mercilessly hammered in the past year: In June, six villages were attacked there.
In fact, the reported attacks were so vicious there, that much of the burying of the dead was left to the elderly.
And earlier this month, even the Emir of the town, Alhaji Mohammed Idrissa Timta, was kidnapped from Gwoza, after his town was targeted once again.
Timta eventually escaped on his own about a week later.
But his father wasn’t so lucky. On May 30th, Idrissa Timta, the original Emir, was also abducted but then killed.
And while Nigerian authorities reportedly view Shekau’s claims as “empty,” experts are calling Shekau’s territorial advancement “unprecedented” and his ability to maintain the areas he has claimed achievable.
But on Friday morning, Defence HQ Nigeria enthusiastically tweeted the following:
FLASH: Troops this morning captured Gwoza destroying the Headquarters of the Terrorists self styled Caliphate. #NeverAgain
— DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) March 27, 2015
UPDATE: Military Takes #GWOZA The Terrorists Phantom Caliphate Headquarters – http://t.co/GjGrAHljkm — DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) March 27, 2015
#Gwoza: Several terrorists died while many are captured. Mopping up of entire #Gwoza and her suburbs is ongoing. More details later.
— DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) March 27, 2015
At press time, Boko Haram has also lost the towns of Michika, Gulak, Madagali, Buni Yadi, Baga, Ngala, Bama, Banki, Dikwa, Banki, Goniri, and Damasak.
Reports indicate that the terrorist organization now only controls two districts.
RELATED: Anti-Boko Haram Forces Retake Another Town But Nearly 100 Residents Found Dead
