Boko Haram

===United States responses===
In 2012, the [[U.S. Department of State]] had an internal debate on whether to place Boko Haram on its '''list of FTOs''' ([[United States State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations|Foreign Terrorist Organizations]]).<ref name="KesslerBoko">{{cite news|author=Glenn Kessler|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2014/05/19/boko-haram-inside-the-state-department-debate-over-the-terrorist-label/|title=Boko Haram: Inside the State Department debate over the 'terrorist' label|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=19 May 2014}}</ref> The [[Bureau of Counterterrorism]] leaned towards designation while the [[Bureau of African Affairs]] urged caution.<ref name="KesslerBoko" /> Officials from the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]], the FBI, the CIA, and a number of members of Congress urged the State Department to designate Boko Haram as an FTO.<ref>Josh Rogin, [http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/07/hillary-s-state-department-refused-to-brand-boko-haram-as-terrorists.html Hillary's State Department Refused to Brand Boko Haram as Terrorists], ''Daily Beast'' (7 May 2014).</ref> The Nigerian government voiced its opposition to an FTO designation, citing concerns that it would raise Boko Haram's stature and have implications for humanitarian aid in the region where Boko Haram operated.<ref name="KesslerBoko" /> Twenty academic experts on Nigeria signed a letter to the State Department urging it not to designate Boko Haram as an FTO, saying that it would hinder NGO efforts in the region and might legitimize the Nigerian Army's human rights abuses in its efforts to fight Boko Haram.<ref name="KesslerBoko" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://carllevan.com/2012/05/boko-haram-letter-to-clinton-from-scholars/|title=Letter to Secretary Clinton from Nigeria Scholars|date=2012-05-21|language=en|access-date=2016-07-23|archive-date=24 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724025805/http://carllevan.com/2012/05/boko-haram-letter-to-clinton-from-scholars/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://carllevan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Boko-Haram-FTO-letter-to-Clinton4.pdf|title=Boko Haram FTO letter to Clinton|access-date=17 September 2016|archive-date=18 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218073919/https://carllevan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Boko-Haram-FTO-letter-to-Clinton4.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The U.S. State Department designated Boko Haram and its offshoot [[Ansaru]] as terrorist organizations in November 2013, citing Boko Haram's links with AQIM and its responsibility for "thousands of deaths in northeast and central Nigeria over the last several years including targeted killings of civilians".<ref name="Office of the Spokesperson">{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/11/217509.htm|title=Terrorist Designations of Boko Haram and Ansaru |publisher=U.S. Department of State |date=13 November 2013 |access-date=24 July 2014}}</ref> The State Department also cited Ansaru's 2013 kidnapping and execution of seven international construction workers.<ref name="Office of the Spokesperson"/> In the statement it was noted, however, "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 through a combination of law enforcement, political, and development efforts."<ref name="Office of the Spokesperson"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr3209ih/pdf/BILLS-113hr3209ih.pdf |title=A bill to impose sanctions against persons who knowingly provide material support or resources to Boko Haram or its affiliates, associated groups, or agents, and for other purposes |publisher=U.S. Congress |date=27 September 2013 |access-date=21 November 2014}}</ref> The State Department had resisted earlier calls to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist group after the [[2011 Abuja United Nations bombing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112HPRT71725/pdf/CPRT-112HPRT71725.pdf|title=Boko Haram: Emerging Threat to the U.S. Homeland |publisher=[[United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence]]|date=2011}}</ref> The U.S. government does not believe Boko Haram is currently (2014) affiliated with al Qaeda Central, despite periodic pledges of support and solidarity from its leadership for al-Qaeda, but is particularly concerned about ties between Boko Haram and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) (including "likely sharing funds, training, and explosive materials").<ref name="Congressional"/><!--see page 7-->

Efforts to cooperate in freeing the Chibok schoolgirls had faltered, largely due to mutual distrust; the infiltration of the military by Boko Haram meant that U.S. officials were wary of sharing raw intelligence data, and the Nigerian military had failed to supply information that might have aided U.S. drone flights in locating the kidnapped girls. The Nigerian government claims that Boko Haram is "the West Africa branch of the world-wide Al-Qaeda movement" with connections to [[Al-Shabaab (militant group)|al-Shabaab]] in [[Somalia]] and AQIM in Mali. The Nigerian government denies having committed human rights abuses in the conflict, and therefore oppose U.S. restrictions on arms sales, which they see as being based on the U.S. mis-application of the [[Leahy Law]] due to concerns over [[human rights in Nigeria]]. The U.S. had supplied the Nigerian army with trucks and equipment but had blocked the sale of [[Cobra helicopter]]s. In November 2014 the U.S. State department again refused to supply Cobras, citing concerns over the Nigerian military's ability to maintain and use them without endangering civilians.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=357&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01detailtemplate=nigeriadet&cntnt01returnid=108 |title=A Stable and Secure Nigeria: An Asset to America |publisher=Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Washington, D.C. |date=11 November 2014 |access-date=12 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-30006066 |title=Boko Haram crisis: Nigeria fury over U.S. arms refusal |work=[[BBC News]]|date=11 November 2014 |access-date=12 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/01/world/with-schoolgirls-still-missing-fragile-us-nigeria-ties-falter.html |title=With Schoolgirls Taken by Boko Haram Still Missing, U.S.-Nigeria Ties Falter |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |author=Eric Schmidt |date=31 December 2014 |access-date=1 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=cobra/>

On 1 December 2014, the U.S. embassy in Abuja announced that the U.S. had discontinued training a Nigerian battalion at the request of the Nigerian government. A spokesman for the U.S. state department said: "We regret premature termination of this training, as it was to be the first in a larger planned project that would have trained additional units with the goal of helping the Nigerian Army build capacity to counter Boko Haram. The U.S. government will continue other aspects of the extensive bilateral security relationship, as well as all other assistance programs, with Nigeria. The U.S. government is committed to the long tradition of partnership with Nigeria and will continue to engage future requests for cooperation and training".<ref name=cobra>{{cite news |url=http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2014/12/01/nigeria-ends-us-mission-counter-boko-haram/19743581/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141201234012/http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2014/12/01/nigeria-ends-us-mission-counter-boko-haram/19743581/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 December 2014 |title=Nigeria ends U.S. mission to counter Boko Haram |newspaper=Navy Times |author=Jeff Schogol |author2=Joe Gould |date=1 December 2014 |access-date=1 December 2014}}</ref>

On 24 September 2015, the White House announced a military aid package for African allies fighting Boko Haram. The package included up to $45 million for training and other support for [[Benin]], Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-boko-haram-whitehouse-idUSKCN0RO2BY20150924|title=U.S. directs up to $45 million to support countries fighting Boko Haram|work=[[Reuters]]|date=24 September 2015|access-date=11 October 2015|archive-date=18 October 2017|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171018004850/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-boko-haram-whitehouse/u-s-directs-up-to-45-million-to-support-countries-fighting-boko-haram-idUSKCN0RO2BY20150924|url-status=live}}</ref> On 14 October 2015, the White House released a statement, in accordance with the [[War Powers Resolution]], announcing the deployment of 300 troops to Cameroon to conduct airborne ISR: "These forces are equipped with weapons for the purpose of providing their own force protection and security, and they will remain in Cameroon until their support is no longer needed."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/10/14/letter-from-president-war-powers-resolution-cameroon|title=Letter From The President-- War Powers Resolution Regarding Cameroon|author=Barack Obama|date=14 October 2015|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|access-date=22 October 2015}}</ref>

In October 2015, General [[David M. Rodriguez]], the head of the [[United States Africa Command]], reported that Boko Haram has lost territory, directly contradicting statements which were made by Boko Haram. U.S. efforts to train and share intelligence with regional military forces is credited with helping to push back against Boko Haram, but officials warn that the group remains a grave threat.<ref>{{cite news | title=Boko Haram Has Lost Territory in Nigeria, U.S. General Says | author=Julian E. Barnes | date=29 October 2015 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/boko-haram-has-lost-territory-in-nigeria-u-s-general-says-1446136475}}</ref>