Boko Haram survivors tell of bitter, demoralized, poorly supplied jihadis

Boko Haram survivors tell of militants in disarray

(Image credit: Reuters/YouTube)

published 5 May 2015

A year ago, the African militant group Boko Haram held a swath of Nigeria the size of Belgium, appearing unstoppable in their quest to carve out an Islamic state. An offensive by Nigerian troops and allied forces from neighboring nations has taken its toll on the rebels, according to the women rescued from Boko Haram by Nigeria last week in the Sambisa Forest. About a month ago, the women told Reuters, their captors started complaining about a shortage of guns, ammunition, and gas.

"One evening in April, Boko Haram followers stood before us and said 'Our leaders don’t want to give us enough fuel and guns and now the soldiers are encroaching on us in Sambisa. We will leave you.'," 18-year old Binta Ibrahim told Reuters. When the captors heard government helicopters, they first tried to sell of the women for about $10 apiece, then stoned some of them and fled.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.