Boko Haram affected areas

In recent months, Boko Haram has attacked rural military bases and convoys in the northeastern part of Nigeria and in surrounding countries, acquiring weapons in the process. Since spring 2015, when regional militaries chased most of its members back underground, the sect had been focused on survival and terrorism. While the group is far from their high point of 2014-2015, when they controlled a territory estimated at 20,000 square miles, these raids show a new strategic acumen.

Chad has withdrawn hundreds of troops from neighbouring Niger, where they were helping local forces fight Boko Haram Islamist militants, humanitarian sources and officials said. Й There was no immediate explanation or comment from defence officials in Chad. But the move came a month after the vast central African country complained about an unexpected U.S. travel ban imposed on its nationals.

The vast majority of almost 2 million Nigerians driven from their homes by the conflict with Boko Haram cannot return because of a lack of security, an aid agency said on Wednesday.

While the efforts of the Governments in Africa's Lake Chad Basin have diminished Boko Haram's combat capacity in the region, the terrorist group has changed its tactics, increasing the use of suicide attacks, the top United Nations political official reported to the Security Council today.

Amnesty International highlights role of young women and girls forced to target civilians in Nigeria and Cameroon.

The UK has so far trained 28,000 Nigerian soldiers and over 40 UK military personnel have been deployed to Nigeria on a long term basis. On Wednesday, [international development secretary Priti] Patel announced an extended five-year package of help, costing an extra Ј200m.

The number of children, mainly girls, used by the Nigerian armed group Boko Haram as "human bombs" has quadrupled this year, according to UNICEF.

Suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers killed at least 27 people and wounded 83 in north-east Nigeria on Tuesday.

The United Nations' relationship with Nigeria is intact, a U.N. official said on Saturday, despite a military raid on a compound belonging to the international body in the conflict-ridden northeast.