Iran ready to help anti-Boko Haram campaign: Deputy FM
An Iranian deputy foreign minister says the Islamic Republic is ready to cooperate with the African countries in the fight against Boko Haram Takfiri militant group.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs, said on Saturday that Tehran supports African countries’ fight against the militant group.
The Iranian official made the remarks during a press conference on the sidelines of the 24th Summit of the African Union (AU) in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, ISNA reported.
Amir-Abdollahian condemned terrorist attacks by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria and said Iran, which has already shouldered heavy responsibilities in the fight against terrorist groups in the Middle East, is ready to cooperate with the AU against terrorism.
On Friday, the African Union called for a regional five-nation force of 7,500 troops to fight Nigeria-based Boko Haram militants.
Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden,” controls large parts of northeastern Nigeria. Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria are the four African countries which have been directly affected by the growing threat of Boko Haram.
More than 13,000 people have been killed and over a million made homeless as a result of Boko Haram violence since 2009.
ISIL and Boko Haram Takfiri militants
Amir-Abdollahian called the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group in the Middle East as a malicious phenomenon which has destabilized Syria and Iraq, saying that Boko Haram and ISIL Takfiri terrorist groups are two sides of the same coin.
ISIL militants control some parts of Iraq, including the northern city of Mosul, as well as areas of neighboring Syria.
The terrorist group has committed gross human rights violations and violence against many groups in Iraq including Christians, Izadi Kurds, Sunnis and Shias.
AR/HMV/SS
Related Stories
UN backs AU against Boko Haram Sat Jan 31, 2015
7,500 AU troops to fight Boko Haram Fri Jan 30, 2015
Iran refutes US, UK accusations over Ukraine war, West Asia conflicts
Iran: ICC indictment of Netanyahu should have included 'genocide'
Diplomat discourages recourse to pressure, intimidation, confrontation against Iran
‘We’ll rebuild homes, lives’: Lebanese people displaced by war vow to return home
Ex-US Army officer and Press TV analyst Scott Bennett dies at 53
IRGC: 76 terrorists killed, captured during anti-terror drills in southeast Iran
VIDEO | ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
Italian court rules al-Quds cannot be Israel’s ‘capital’
Starbucks closes 50 stores in Malaysia amid anti-Israel boycott drive
Israeli arms firm loses its ‘biggest contract’ as UK revokes contract
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
