[69], Efforts to cooperate in freeing the Chibok schoolgirls had faltered, largely due to mutual distrust; the infiltration of the military by Boko Haram meant that U.S. officials were wary of sharing raw intelligence data, and the Nigerian military had failed to supply information that might have aided U.S. drone flights in locating the kidnapped girls. Miniaoui, Hla, ed. On 20 September, a series of bombings occurred in Maiduguri and Monguno and the attacks followed an announcement by Shekau refuting the army's claims of defeat. Soldiers refused orders to advance on the occupied town; hundreds fled across the border into Cameroon, but were promptly repatriated. Our people. Within the revised charter, the OIC has chosen to support the Charter of the United Nations and international law, without mentioning the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. University of Chicago Press. At this time, Christian missionaries spread the Christian message in the region and converted a large segment of the Nigerian populace. They have attacked politicians, religious leaders, security forces and civilian targets. Borno government official Alhaji Boguma believed that the state deserved praise from the international community for ending the conflict in such a short time, and that the "wave of fundamentalism" had been "crushed". [9], In March 2008, the OIC conducted a formal revision of its charter. The tactic of suicide bombing, used in the two attacks in the capital on the police and UN headquarters was new to Nigeria. Unified military (Peninsula Shield Force). [citation needed], Amidst the Bahraini uprising, Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent ground troops to Bahrain in order to protect vital infrastructure such as the airport and highway system. Deputy Minister. Kuwaiti foreign minister Mohammad Sabah Al-Sabah said on 8 December 2009 that a single currency may take up to ten years to establish. [31] The project, estimated to be worth $15.5 billion, is scheduled to be completed by 2021. [31], The GCC Supreme Council is composed of the heads of state of the member states. The issues which divide AQ and Boko Haram are related to the extremism of Abubakar Shekau with respect to his declaration that the entire Muslim population of Nigeria is non-Muslim. According to Human Rights Watch, Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin forces have "sharply escalated bombing and other attacks" against civilians since 2006. "[16] As of June 2015[update], Arsalan Suleman is acting special envoy. Deputy Minister. The incident brought Boko Haram extended global media attention, much of it focused on the pronouncements of the U.S. Former First Lady Michelle Obama[158] Faced with condemnation for his perceived incompetence, as well as allegations from Amnesty International of state collusion, President Jonathan responded by hiring a Washington PR firm. [364] Officials from the Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA, and a number of members of Congress urged the State Department to designate Boko Haram as an FTO. [201], The Baga massacre was one of the Nigerian Army's biggest defeats in terms of loss of equipment and civilian casualties. Guzansky, Y., & Segal, E. (2020). Subsequently, violent demonstrations throughout the Islamic world resulted in several deaths. [88], In 2020, Pakistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs SM Qureshi criticized OIC for its stand with regards to Kashmir issue, stating with Pakistan might consider to call a meeting of Islamic countries that are ready to stand with them on the issue. So right now they are completely in disarray, have no command and control of where to plan. Microsofts Activision Blizzard deal is key to the companys mobile gaming efforts. Russia effectively administers Crimea as two federal subjects: The Treaty on Accession of the Republic of Crimea to Russia was signed between representatives of the Republic of Crimea (including Sevastopol, with which the rest of Crimea briefly unified) and the Russian Federation on 18 March 2014 to lay out terms for the immediate admission of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol as federal subjects of Russia and part of the Russian Federation. Ministry of International Cooperation. [184] The military continued to deny Boko Haram's territorial gains, which were, however, confirmed by local vigilantes who had managed to escape. [note 9]Was given an invitation in 2013 by the OIC to join as a full member.[75]. [7] That is in addition to the Ashgabat agreement, which is a multi-modal transport agreement between the Central Asian states. The organization chart of GOIC includes the board members and the General Secretariat. [23] In January 2015, the common market was also further integrated, covering full equality among GCC citizens to work in government and private sectors, the ability to access social insurance and retirement coverage, real estate ownership rights, capital movement, and access to education, health and other social services, in all member states. [57][58][59], The sharia law imposed by local authorities, beginning with Zamfara in January 2000 and covering 12 northern states by late 2002, may have promoted links between Boko Haram and political leaders, but was considered by the group to have been corrupted. Although the constitution and law prohibit such practices and provide for punishment of such abuses, torture is not criminalized, and security service personnel, including police, military, and State Security Service (SSS) officers, regularly tortured, beat, and abused demonstrators, criminal suspects, detainees, and convicted prisoners. Indian Foreign Minister Swaraj served as the head for the Indian delegation and attended the summit. Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) are foreign organizations that are designated by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended. [311], On 18 May, Just as people were preparing to break their Ramadan fast after sundown, the sect attacked the Nigerian village of Gajigana, Borno, 29 miles north of the state capital Maiduguri, killing at least 20 people and injuring 25 others. On 12 July, two female suicide bombers wearing burqas killed 13 people in Fotokol. The Economic Cooperation Organization Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) was established by the three founding members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in 2005 which are the Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Republic of Turkey. Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers meets once a year to examine a progress report on the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by the Islamic Summit. The Bank has successfully started its operations in 2008. [69][135][136][137][138][139][140], Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch published reports in 2012 that were widely quoted by government agencies and the media, based on research conducted over the course of the conflict in the worst affected areas of the country. The ninth meeting of Parliamentary Union of the OIC member states (PUOICM) was held on 15 and 16 February 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [353], In early February 2015, an agreement to provide 7,500 African Union troops from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger was tentatively reached. [280], On 30 January, at least 86 people were killed and at least 62 more injured in an attack by Boko Haram militants on Dalori Village which is located in Borno State, 4 kilometers from Maiduguri. [33] The presidency rotates based on the alphabetical order of the names of the member states. [6] The Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement is designed to facilitate trade for goods and services for Central Asia via both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The group went on to intensify their insurgency, launching many attacks in Nigeria, mostly in the north of the country. On 2 February 2015, the Nigerian Army said it had recaptured Gamboru from Boko Haram, along with the nearby towns of Mafa, Mallam Fatori, Abadam, and Marte following a joint weekend offensive by Nigerian, Chadian and Cameroonian forces. [check quotation syntax], On 25 January, over 30 people were killed by four Boko Haram suicide bombers in Bodo, Far North Region, Cameroon. It was ratified by the Federal Assembly by March 21. Bianco, C. (2020b). Get information on latest national and international events & more. Hillary Matfess. On 28 August 2018 the British government produced a press release describing the details the newly launched partnership between the United Kingdom and Nigeria which was formed to attempt to reduce the threat posed by Boko Haram to the citizens of the two nations. Only OIC members are entitled to membership in the union. [241] On 21 October, according to vigilante reports a joint operation in Madagali and Gwoza killed 150 militants and rescued 36 captives. [36] Applications are filed and prosecuted in the Arabic language before it and grants patents valid in all GCC member states, but is a separate office from the Saudi Arabian Patent Office. The date of the expansion to its present strength, 28 November, is referred to as "ECO Day". Two specialized agencies and six regional institutes are acting under the supervision of the GS. Find the latest U.S. news stories, photos, and videos on NBCNews.com. Syria has one self-declared autonomous region: Suspended in August 2012 during the Syrian civil war. [299], On 18 May, the Nigerian Army killed 15 Boko Haram insurgents and rescued 49 persons in separate encounters between Boko Haram and Nigerian troops throughout the Southern Lake Chad Basin. The Nigerian government denies having committed human rights abuses in the conflict, and therefore oppose U.S. restrictions on arms sales, which they see as being based on the U.S. mis-application of the Leahy Law due to concerns over human rights in Nigeria. [79][80] The raid occurred in the town of Dangdala, near the banks of Lake Chad. A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-controlled enterprise". [197] On 13 December, Boko Haram attacked the village of Gumsuri in Borno, killing over 30 and kidnapping over 100 women and children.[186]. Other regional funds have several hundreds of billions of dollars of assets under management. In 1985 Iran, Pakistan and Turkey joined to form the ECO. These were the "West African Province" which is part of ISIL; Jam'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihd (Boko Haram), under Sheaku's control; and Ansaru which is loyal to al-Qaeda and rejects the caliphate of al-Bagdadi, though it shares his disapproval of the "wide-reaching interpretation of takfir" of Shekau. 1. Casualty figures were not released. [216] On 11 July, a male suicide bomber disguised in a woman's burqa detonated his explosives belt in the main market of N'Djamena, next to the main mosque, killing 15 people and injuring 80. Nevertheless, many observers did not anticipate imminent bloodshed. However, most cases lingered in court or went unresolved after an initial investigation. In 2011, letters from Boko Haram were reportedly found in Osama bin Laden's compound. [262] Information Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakari said that "[t]he people that were freed are just villagers. 2339A(b)(2) provides that for these purposes the term training means instruction or teaching designed to impart a specific skill, as opposed to general knowledge. 18 U.S.C. Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting, Kirkpatrick, David D. (7 September 2014). [42] However, attacks by Boko Haram have a separate investigation conducted by The Wall Street Journal backed recent claims that Shekau was dead. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria", "In Nigeria False Prophets Are Real Problems", "Nigeria's Boko Haram: Frequently Asked Questions", "The Diffusion of Intra-islamic Violence and Terrorism: the Impact of the Proliferation of Salafi/Wahhabi Ideologies", "Boko Haram and the evolving Salafi Jihadist threat in Nigeria", "Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists? Central Asia Afghanistan. [AM], Extraordinary / Emergency Islamic Summits, Strengthening Marriage and Family Institution, Science and Technology (including Environment, Health and Higher Education), Directorate of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs. Microsofts Activision Blizzard deal is key to the companys mobile gaming efforts. The increased sophistication of the group led observers to speculate that Boko Haram was affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which was active in Niger. The center had the political goal of creating an Islamic state, and became a recruiting ground for jihadis. On 9 February, a massacre occurred on the A3 road in Auno, Borno. [190] Amid media speculation that the ceasefire announcement had been part of President Jonathan's re-election campaign, a video statement released by Boko Haram through the normal communication channels via AFP on 31 October stated that no negotiations had in fact taken place. Get information on latest national and international events & more. [268], On 5 December, three female suicide bombers killed about 30 at a crowded market on the island of Koulfoua in Lake Chad. If no such review has been conducted during a 5 year period with respect to a designation, then the Secretary of State is required to review the designation to determine whether revocation would be appropriate. He added Thai policies of not investigating corruption, murder, and human rights violations perpetrated by Bangkok-led administration and military personnel against the Malay Muslim population was an obstacle for achieving peace and healing the deep wounds of being treated as third-class citizens.[68][69]. [63], Legal scholar Ben Saul of University of Sydney argues that the definition is subjective and ambiguous and concludes that there is "serious danger of the abusive use of terrorist prosecutions against political opponents" and others. [314], On 2 August, Boko Haram killed at least 18 people in a grenade attack at an IDP camp.[315]. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, / o p k / OH-pek) is an intergovernmental organization of 13 countries. Some GCC countries also send some troops to fight the opposition government in Yemen. [48], In September 2017, the Independent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the OIC strongly condemned the human rights violations against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Economic Community of West African States, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, "Boko Haram in Nigeria: President Goodluck Jonathan Rejects Help from UN Forces to Fight Insurgency", "With Help From ISIS, a More Deadly Boko Haram Makes a Comeback", "We have restricted Boko Haram to Sambisa Forest Buhari", "DSS: Boko Haram relocating from Sambisa forest to Kaduna", "Leaked DSS memo shows fleeing Boko Haram terrorists are moving to Kaduna", "The destructive militant group sowing chaos across Africa", "Boko Haram HQ Gwoza in Nigeria 'retaken', "Nigeria's Boko Haram has up to 6,000 hardcore militants: U.S. officials", "Guardian News Website - Five Lake Chad region nations meet over Boko Haram", "Jonathan tasks Defence, Foreign Ministers of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Benin on Boko Haram's defeat", "African leaders pledge 'total war' on Boko Haram after Nigeria kidnap", "Chadian Forces Deploy Against Boko Haram", "Trials in Senegal Expose Possible Terror Sleeper Cells", "Sayyid Qutb and Nearness With Rafidees: Nawab Safawi Al-Shi'iyy", "Is Islamic State shaping Boko Haram media? [205] On 2 March, the Nigerian military defeated Boko Haram in the Battle of Konduga. [357] In January 2016, a delegation led by Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai also visited Colombia to exchange information in regards to the war against Boko Haram. Most Arab countries and some African ones later walked out of the session.[54][55][56]. Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) are foreign organizations that are designated by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended. Reports of civilian casualties ranged from eight to eleven. WIPOs member states determine the direction, budget and activities of the Organization through the decision-making bodies.We currently have 193 member states. An AFRICOM spokesman said that increased cooperation had led them "to study the viability of ISR flights from a temporary location in Cameroon". The unified economic agreement between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council was signed on 11 [253] On 16 October, more than six security vehicles were transferred to the Cameroon military. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English, and French. [84], The largest meeting, attended by the heads of state and government of the member states, convenes every three years. [31], Saudi Arabian Railways, Etihad Rail, and national governments have invested 15 billion dollars as of early 2015 into railway infrastructure to create rail networks for transporting freight, connecting cities, and reducing transport times. Following the Chibok kidnapping in 2014, the majority of Boko Haram's suicide bombers are female; many are teenagers and the youngest was seven. The Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Kyrgyz Republic became the member of the ETDB in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively. [44] Saudi Arabia and the UAE, however, are among the states that oppose the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, whereas Qatar has historically supported it. [83] Social inequality and poverty contributed both to the Maitatsine and Boko Haram uprisings. [76], According to researchers Jacob Zenna and Zacharias Pier,[77][76] .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. [309], On 23 March, at least 50 Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush by Boko Haram fighters near Goneri village in Borno. [9][10], During the Arab Spring in 2011, Saudi Arabia proposed to transform the GCC into a "Gulf Union" with tighter economic, political and military coordination, a move considered to be a move to counterbalance Iranian influence in the region,[11] however objections were raised by other countries. It includes four members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. [11] The OIC also changed its logo at this time.