This is information on the Boko Haram affair. But what we did not know (and that reinforces our hypothesis advanced a few days ago, that is, a shadow operation conducted by the special departments of some countries) is that an undercover mission has been underway for days.
The news was not confirmed by the Department of Defense, but in addition to the thirty consultants sent by the United States, a team formed by the CIA Hunter Killer and at least two Navy Seal teams would already be operational in Nigeria.
Other details emerge.
The 1 Tier deployed by Washington would be the same ones that last year saved more than seventy kidnapped and destined children on the Nigerian slave market. Therefore, they would know the operating context well.
The British Sas would not be new to these operations (the West Side Boys in Sierra Leone still tremble) while the Israeli special departments do not fear comparisons in any theater.
Finally, the still unknown (therefore existing) "Squadron 4", an Australian assault unit present in Africa and operating in Tanzania, Somalia and Mozambique should not be underestimated. The unit would be activated after Conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that he had included Boko Haram on the list of terrorist organizations.
The "4 Squadron" is considered the same as the Sas. The Australians of this special body are trained at home in very similar theaters (for temperature and flora) to those in Africa.
The shadow multinational force in the field, would act in parallel to the official one. Countries with a team ready to intervene, in addition to the United States, would be France, Spain, Australia, Israel, Canada and Great Britain.
China, a few hours ago, guaranteed (if accepted by the West) military support with a team ready to go.
In addition to special departments, the United States has about 600 Marine of the Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response Unit ready to intervene. A contingent of regular and otherwise well-trained troops has certainly been deployed in support of special departments.
Boko Haram counts a force of around 1000 / 1500 men. The equipment is of the Soviet / Russian type. Most of the militiamen of the Islamic group do not have a military background, while some would have received an approximate training in one of the many camps managed with the Al Qaeda groups in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM) and of Al Shabab in Somalia. But the actions of Abubakar Shekau continue to get no support, contrary to what happened in the past for other similar actions. The fact is that Shekau's modus operandi has turned Africa into a powder keg.
Drones and spy planes continue to fly over the country, making any kind of illicit action particularly complicated.
However, the situation remains very tense, but it seems by now taken for granted that officially every action is taking place in concert with the Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan.
Unofficially, however, a highly specialized group is already on the trail of Shekau and has already received the order to "bring the rain".
Franco Iacch
(photo: DoD Usa, British army)
