sects, Ahl as-Sunnah lid-daʻwa wal-Jihād, also known
as Boko Haram and Ansaru as foreign terrorist organisations,
FTOs.
"These designations are an important and appropriate step, but
only one tool in what must be a comprehensive approach by
the Nigerian government to counter these groups … to help
root out violent extremism," the State Department said in a
statement.
The State Department's statement, quoted by agencies
reports, reads: "In the last several years, Boko Haram and
Ansaru have been responsible for thousands of deaths in
northeast and central Nigeria, including dozens of attacks on
churches and mosques, targeted killings of civilians, and the
2011 suicide bombing of the United Nations building in
Abuja that killed 21 people and injured dozens more," White
House homeland security advisor Lisa Monaco said in a
statement.
"By cutting these terrorist organizations off from US financial
institutions and enabling banks to freeze assets held in the
United States, these designations demonstrate our strong
support for Nigeria's fight against terrorism and its efforts to
address security challenges in the north."
"All of our assistance to Nigeria stresses the importance of
protecting civilians and ensuring that human rights are
respected. That assistance and these designations demonstrate
US support for the Nigerian people's fight against Boko
Haram and Ansaru," the State Department said.
Vanguard checks on the US Department of State's website
revealed that Boko Haram and Ansaru were listed as number
52 and 53, respectively, on the Foreign Terrorist
Organisations list.
Other FTOs on the list are; HAMAS, Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC), al-Qa'ida (AQ), al-Qaida in the
Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Indian Mujahedeen (IM), al-
Shabaab, Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's
Army (CPP/NPA), Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)
among others.
Via: Vanguard
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