Islamic State group announces new Boko Haram leader

3 August 2016, 7:42 pm

Edit

Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamic extremists have a new leader who promises to end attacks on mosques and markets used by Muslims, according to an interview published today by the Islamic State group.

The group’s al-Nabaa newspaper identifies Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the new “Wali” of its West Africa Province, a title previously used to describe long-time leader Abubakar Shekau.

Boko Haram fighters parading with a tank in an unidentified town, in a screen capture taken on November 9, 2014 from a new video released by the Nigerian Islamist extremist group and obtained by AFP shows. (AFP/HO/Boko Haram)

The interview with al-Barnawi indicates a major change in strategy for the Nigerian extremists, who have attacked mosques with suicide bombers and gunmen, blown up suicide bombers in crowded marketplaces and killed and kidnapped school children. The targeting of students accounts for its nickname Boko Haram, which means Western education is sinful or forbidden.

— AP