Over the last month, the jihadist group has killed at least 174 Nigerien soldiers in three separate attacks.

The Islamic State continues to make inroads in the Sahel, conducting several high-profile raids in the border region between Mali and Niger.

On June 15, the Islamic State’s West Africa province released a video featuring a masked jihadist known as Abu Salmah al-Mangawi. Along with foot soldiers in Burkina Faso and Mali, al-Mangawi renewed his pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The jihadist group also claimed an assault on a high-security prison near the capital of Niamey.

Islamic State West Africa reportedly seized the town of Baga in northeastern Nigeria earlier this week. The Nigerian military downplayed the jihadis’ advances, but it appears that ISWA seized the town, at least temporarily. And ISWA documented its spoils in a series of images released today.

The Islamic State West Africa is progressing in its violent campaign against the Nigerian state in the northeast, as it continues to claim victories against the military.

ISWA continues to defy announcements by the Nigerian government of its defeat.

The Islamic State’s West African province has gone on a recent spate of assaults on military bases in northeastern Nigeria.

Three suicide bombers, including two girls, targeted a mosque and a Quranic school in Diffa, Niger, on Monday. The three are believed to have been sent by Abubakr Shekau’s Boko Haram faction.

Despite a relative lull in the use of females in suicide bombings in 2016 compared to 2015, West Africa is currently seeing a significant uptick in the use of females so far in 2017.

Women and girls continue to be utilized by the Islamic State West Africa (formerly known as Boko Haram). At least 123 suicide bombings involving females have been recorded in data compiled by FDD’s Long War Journal.

Despite being pushed back in several places of northeastern Nigeria, the attack still proves that the Islamic State West Africa, formerly known as Boko Haram, can still strike in heavily guarded areas.

The jihadist group also implies that its leader, Abubakar Shekau, is still alive and leading the Islamic State West Africa after rumors of his demise.

As the jihadist group continues its rampage in northeastern Nigeria and into neighboring states, the Islamic State’s West African province continues to utilize women and girls as suicide bombers. The use of females makes it easier for the jihadist group to conduct these attacks.

The coordinated assaults are likely intended to show that the jihadist group is still able to mount such attacks, despite some claims to the contrary.

The video showing an attack on Nigerian troops in Borno state was released as the jihadist group killed over 30 in suicide attacks in neighboring Chad.

The Islamic State West Africa has routinely used women and girls to execute suicide attacks in the region. The group has deployed at least 52 female suicide bombers since June 2014. It is likely some of these women and girls were kidnapped and indoctrinated to conduct attacks.

The group, formerly known as Boko Haram, has used at least 47 women as suicide bombers since June 2014.

At least seven suicide attacks perpetrated by the Islamic State West Africa (formerly known as Boko Haram) in the last three weeks have been conducted by women.

The Islamic State West Africa (formerly known as Boko Haram) has utilized dozens of women and girls as suicide bombers over the last two years.

The attack in N’Djamena is the third in Chad in less than a month. Boko Haram, which now refers to itself as the Islamic State’s West African province, continues to pose a significant threat to regional security despite losing ground in Nigeria.
