Boko Haram tries to open the umbrella and overflows the vase

19/05/14

Boko Haram is about to release some of the kidnapped girls. This is the news released by the Telegraph a few hours ago, citing sources close to the terrorist group.

Islamic militants would be willing to make a gradual release of hostages in exchange for some Boko Haram men held hostage in Nigerian prisons. The terrorists would have even renounced to obtain the release of some key figures of the movement, limiting themselves to a few low-profile prisoners.

The Nigerian government, however, continues to deny any kind of negotiation, even if the details of the agreement reached leak out.

In exchange for part of the girls seized last April, the Nigerian government would have guaranteed the release of the wives and families of Boko Haram fighters, some of whom were taken into custody by the Nigerian government, in order to exert emotional pressure on the fundamentalists .

Boko Haram would be willing to release 100 girls within the next few hours in a safe place that will be communicated later. The group is defined as "terrified". And it was only a matter of time, considering the manhunt already started by days.

On the Boko Haram there are some of the most lethal special units on the planet and with each passing hour, the distance between terrorists and assault forces is reduced. Which is why, even in the face of the declaration of war against the fundamentalist movement announced last Saturday in Paris, the only thing to do to stay alive is to start releasing the prisoners. Just Hollande has an account opened with the Boko Harams following the kidnapping of a French family in the 2013 that took place in Cameroon (a payment was assumed in exchange for the release, thesis denied by Paris).

The United States, France, Canada, Great Britain, Israel, Spain and Australia have had assault groups in Nigeria for some weeks already (as we have widely announced in recent days). Drones and spy planes have been flying over the country for about fifteen days, while three military satellites continue to map the entire region.

Cameroon, Benin, Chad in addition to Nigeria itself, have guaranteed every kind of support, but the West has limited itself to a simple "we'll let you know".

But Abubakar Shekau is not Napoleon: he is only a madman and continues to demonstrate it with incomprehensible actions. In fact, a few hours ago, Boko Haram declared war on China as well.

The Chinese embassy in Cameroon confirmed that last Friday, ten workers would be abducted during an attack near a site near the city of Waza, at 12 miles from the Nigerian border and near the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram stronghold. According to Chinese press Xinhua, a Chinese worker was injured during the attack. Ten vehicles belonging to the Chinese state company Sinohydro, engaged in the construction of some roads in Cameroon, were also stolen. Beijing has also warned the Cameroonian authorities. Every rescue operation - the Chinese said - will have to be planned with our government. Translated means: we are sending troops, the hostages free us.

Returning to the troops deployed in Nigeria, there are no reports of Italian contingents engaged in "hunting". Russia is still at the window, but considering that China will have at least 200 in the Special Forces in Africa in a few hours, Moscow could also support its usual ally, without asking for Western approval. A more political than a strategic choice, but which could become real in the next few hours. Putin desperately needs to get closer to the West and this would be the best opportunity to try to smooth the corners.

What is certain is that on Saturday, bases were laid for a "Regional strategy against terror", under Western leadership. In addition to Boko Haram, the Paris summit decreed the Nigerian group Ansaru as the enemy of the world.

The feeling is that now the efforts are no longer concentrated to free the girls, but to save the Boko Harams from Western special units on their tracks.

Franco Iacch