Boko Haram renames itself as Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP): Report

London: The Islamic State or the ISIS militant group may have spread their tentacles beyond Middle East and North Africa for the first time, as per reports.

As per a report in a leading international daily, Nigerian terror group Boko Haram have adopted the name 'Islamic State’s West Africa Province' or ISWAP.

According to 'The Independent' Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau pledged loyalty to Islamic State group last month.

However, it had appeared to continue to function under its official name Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad.

This essentially means 'People committed to the propagation of the prophet's teachings and jihad' in Arabic. Boko Haram is its nickname and means 'western education is forbidden'.

The report says that propaganda materials shared by ISIS-affiliated social media accounts have dropped both the above names.

Now they have reportedly adopted the name ISWAP.

Boko Haram, who have around 15,000 members, have also supposedly become more glossy on the social media and the face of their fighters are visible for the first time.

Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Nigeria have launched a joint offensive to end Boko Haram`s six-year insurgency, which has claimed 13,000 lives and caused about 1.5 million people to flee their homes, as per reports.