Over two dozen Boko Haram fighters have surrendered to the Nigerian forces after the laid down their weapons from Sambisa Forest following a strengthened regional force. According to security sources, Boko Haram has mainly shifted from villages and retreated to majorly rural areas and forested areas.
The Nigerian Army has made some advances in counterinsurgency through its specially trained mobile strike teams and via air strikes. Additionally, the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has made gains. The 10,000-person force is headquartered in N’Djamena, Chad, with regional bases in the four countries surrounding Lake Chad.
The MNJTF has received funding from the US and France to aid in the fight against the ISIL-affiliated Boko Haram militants.
