Islamic State West Africa Province (ISIS-WA)

About

ISIS West Africa (ISIS-WA), a faction of terrorist group Boko Haram, was created when ISIS-WA pledged allegiance to ISIS in March 2015. ISIS accepted the group’s pledge, and the group began calling itself ISIS-West Africa. Active primarily in northeast Nigeria and the greater Lake Chad region, ISIS-WA has carried out numerous terrorist attacks since 2016. In November 2018, ISIS-WA claimed responsibility for five attacks in Chad and Nigeria that resulted in 118 deaths. In May 2019, ISIS-WA claimed responsibility for two attacks in western Niger, which killed 29 soldiers. In July 2019, ISIS-WA fighters killed 20 Nigerian and five Chadian soldiers during an attack on a military base near Baga, Nigeria.

On February 28, 2018, the U.S. Department of State designated ISIS-WA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. Previously, on February 27, 2018, the Department of State designated ISIS-WA as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended. As a result, all of ISIS-WA’s property, and interests in property, subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with ISIS-WA. It is a crime to knowingly provide, or to attempt or conspire to provide, material support or resources to ISIS-WA.