Nigerian forces have made great strides against the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram. The terrorist group has been forced to retreat to their last stronghold, the Sambisa Forest, said military officials.
The military campaign against Boko Haram has been largely successful as the combined forces of Cameroon, Niger, Chad, and Nigeria have regained most of the territory once claimed by Boko Haram. Sambisa Forest, which covers 23,000 square miles in northeastern Nigeria, is thought to be Boko Haram's last stand. Multiple sources including military personnel and residents state that the militant group is running low on weapons and ammunition. The coalition has cut off the militants from their main arms supplier. Their loss of territory to the coalition has diminished their supplies in general, which has caused them to steal from local farmers for food and other basic amenities.
Residents told Vanguard news that the militants have resorted to using more basic forms of weaponry as a result of their lack of ammunition. "The Boko Haram terrorists have only bow and arrows, machetes, daggers and other local weapons, as they have run out of arms and ammunitions and were roaming about in the bushes of the villages along the fringes of the Sambisa Forest," one resident told Vanguard news.
Airstrikes and troops have continued to fire upon the Sambisa Forest. Some residents claim that militant leaders have fled from the forest into neighboring villages as a result of the attacks. Villagers are asking military officials to respond to the situation by eliminating the threat of a regrouping by the militants.
Currently, the coalition remains on the outskirts of the forest because of possible traps laid by the militants. Some military officials believe that this will be the end for Boko Haram. Despite the military victory against the terrorist group, many villages still lay in waste as a result of Boko Haram's previous influence. Towns have been completely destroyed while bodies litter the streets. President Goodluck Jonathan, criticized for a lack of response to earlier Boko Haram activity, vowed to eliminate the group before the end of his term next month.
