Nigeria claims it has degraded extremists. New suicide bombings suggest they remain potent

Recent suicide bombings in northeastern Nigeria have raised questions about the country's claim that it has degraded extremists whose insurgency since 2009 has killed more than 35,000 people directly and displaced more than 2 million. More than 30 people died in three coordinated suicide bombings on June 30 that were carried out by women in the northeastern Gwoza town. That's where extremists declared a caliphate in 2014. Nigeria’s Defense Chief General Chris Musa said the attacks were not a setback for the military but “a sign of desperation” by the extremists. Security analysts and locals, however, worry the attacks show the capacity and “operational prowess” of the extremists.