African Union Backs Plan to Form Force to Combat Boko Haram

The African Union backs plans by a number of African states to form a joint force to fight the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, Ismael Chergui, the African Union’s commissioner for peace and security said.

Support from the union, which represents most African countries, comes a day after the United Nations Security Council welcomed the plans. Chergui spoke on Tuesday at a meeting of representatives from 13 countries in Niamey, the capital of Niger.