Boko Haram: Child Recruits

by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi  •  Jan 26, 2015 at 11:26 am

Boko Haram's new official media Twitter feed al-Urwa al-Wuthqa released on 25 January photos of the group's activities, including one featuring child recruits to the organization. Interestingly, the tweet describes them as 'cub scouts of the dawla' [state]. The question is what exactly dawla refers to: is it the 'Islamic State' (al-dawla al-islamiya) or a self-proclaimed state on Boko Haram's part? Either way, such a status contradicts Boko Haram's official title as a mere group- Jamaat Ahl al-Sunna lil-Dawa wa al-Jihad ('Group of the Ahl al-Sunna for Dawa and Jihad)- and indicates incoherence in their messaging. Regardless, this should not lead to belittling of the military threat the group poses inside Nigeria.

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