The
United Kingdom’s military has said its warplanes recently spotted in Nigeria’s
capital city were there to move soldiers to aid the French intervention in Mali
and not to rescue kidnapped foreign hostages by an Islamic group, the
Associated Press reported Sunday.
United Kingdom’s military has said its warplanes recently spotted in Nigeria’s
capital city were there to move soldiers to aid the French intervention in Mali
and not to rescue kidnapped foreign hostages by an Islamic group, the
Associated Press reported Sunday.
The extremist group called Ansaru partially blamed the presence
of those planes as an excuse for killing seven foreign hostages, including
British, Greek, Italian and Lebanese citizens.
of those planes as an excuse for killing seven foreign hostages, including
British, Greek, Italian and Lebanese citizens.
The Islamic radicals claimed on Saturday that they had killed
the seven hostages. While Nigerian authorities have yet to comment publicly
about Ansaru’s claim.
the seven hostages. While Nigerian authorities have yet to comment publicly
about Ansaru’s claim.
Ansaru said it killed the hostages in part due to media on the arrival
of British military aircraft to Bauchi, where the abductions occurred.
of British military aircraft to Bauchi, where the abductions occurred.
However, the online statement
from Ansaru said the airplanes were spotted at the international airport in
Abuja.
The British Ministry of Defence said the planes it flew to Abuja ferried
Nigerian troops and equipment to Bamako, Mali. Nigerian soldiers have been sent
to Mali to help French forces and Malian troops battle Islamic extremists
there. The British military said it also transported Ghanaian soldiers to Mali
the same way.
from Ansaru said the airplanes were spotted at the international airport in
Abuja.
The British Ministry of Defence said the planes it flew to Abuja ferried
Nigerian troops and equipment to Bamako, Mali. Nigerian soldiers have been sent
to Mali to help French forces and Malian troops battle Islamic extremists
there. The British military said it also transported Ghanaian soldiers to Mali
the same way.
The British ministry declined to offer any other comment
regarding Nigerian extremist group’s claims that it killed the seven hostage
killings. Ansaru had said it believed the planes were part of a Nigerian and
British rescue mission for the abducted hostages.
regarding Nigerian extremist group’s claims that it killed the seven hostage
killings. Ansaru had said it believed the planes were part of a Nigerian and
British rescue mission for the abducted hostages.
In its statement Saturday, Ansaru also blamed the killings on a
pledge by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to do “everything possible” to
free the hostages.
pledge by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to do “everything possible” to
free the hostages.
Ansaru previously issued a short statement saying its fighters
kidnapped the foreigners Feb. 16 from a construction company’s camp at
Jama’are, a town about 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Bauchi, the capital
of Bauchi state. In the attack gunmen first assaulted a local prison and burned
police trucks, authorities said. Then the attackers blew up a back fence at the
construction company’s compound and took over, killing a guard in the process,
witnesses and police said.
kidnapped the foreigners Feb. 16 from a construction company’s camp at
Jama’are, a town about 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Bauchi, the capital
of Bauchi state. In the attack gunmen first assaulted a local prison and burned
police trucks, authorities said. Then the attackers blew up a back fence at the
construction company’s compound and took over, killing a guard in the process,
witnesses and police said.
In January 2013, Ansaru declared itself a splinter group
independent from Boko Haram
independent from Boko Haram
Source: Thisday
