A leading commander of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has
been killed along with 200 other militants in a rare victory for
Nigeria’s armed forces, according to reports.
One Nigerian army officer said a feared commander known only
as Amir was among the dead after a battle on Friday in Konduga
town, 35 kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state
and birthplace of the extremist group.
Also killed were a Boko Haram video journalist and a suicide
bomber, he said.
The video journalist who was believed to have shot several videos of past
activities of sect including the video of the abducted Chibok girls was
caught in a fierce battle while capturing yesterday battle on camera
There were no military casualties, according to the officer and a
civilian self-defence group that fights alongside the soldiers. Both
spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised
to speak to reporters.
Boko Haram has captured a string of towns in recent weeks
stretching over 320 kilometres alongside Nigeria’s north-east
border with Cameroon in a new campaign to create an Islamic
caliphate, mimicking the Isis group in Syria and Iraq.
The extremists also have attacked a town and villages across the
border in Cameroon, but that country’s state radio said
Cameroonian troops beat them off and forced them back across
the border into Nigeria .
The United States said last week it is about to launch a major
border security program for Nigeria and its neighbours, but gave
no details.
Thousands of civilians have been forced from their homes in the
latest offensive, joining more than 1.5 million other Nigerians
who are refugees within their country or across borders in Niger,
Cameroon and Chad, according to UN figures.
Extremists who have taken other towns have told residents that
their next target is Maiduguri, the headquarters of the military
campaign in the north-east. Boko Haram has attacked the city
several times, with suicide and car bombs that have killed scores.
In December they launched a bold attack on an air force base on
the outskirts in which they destroyed five aircraft and in
February an assault on the main military barracks in the city, in
which they freed hundreds of detainees.
The soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed detainees in the
aftermath of that last attack, mostly civilians accused of belonging
to or supporting the insurgency. Amnesty International put the
number of civilians killed by the soldiers at nearly 700.
Nigeria’s military is accused of massive human rights abuses in
the fight against the extremists, including the deaths of thousands
of illegally detained people.
been killed along with 200 other militants in a rare victory for
Nigeria’s armed forces, according to reports.
One Nigerian army officer said a feared commander known only
as Amir was among the dead after a battle on Friday in Konduga
town, 35 kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state
and birthplace of the extremist group.
Also killed were a Boko Haram video journalist and a suicide
bomber, he said.
The video journalist who was believed to have shot several videos of past
activities of sect including the video of the abducted Chibok girls was
caught in a fierce battle while capturing yesterday battle on camera
There were no military casualties, according to the officer and a
civilian self-defence group that fights alongside the soldiers. Both
spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised
to speak to reporters.
Boko Haram has captured a string of towns in recent weeks
stretching over 320 kilometres alongside Nigeria’s north-east
border with Cameroon in a new campaign to create an Islamic
caliphate, mimicking the Isis group in Syria and Iraq.
The extremists also have attacked a town and villages across the
border in Cameroon, but that country’s state radio said
Cameroonian troops beat them off and forced them back across
the border into Nigeria .
The United States said last week it is about to launch a major
border security program for Nigeria and its neighbours, but gave
no details.
Thousands of civilians have been forced from their homes in the
latest offensive, joining more than 1.5 million other Nigerians
who are refugees within their country or across borders in Niger,
Cameroon and Chad, according to UN figures.
Extremists who have taken other towns have told residents that
their next target is Maiduguri, the headquarters of the military
campaign in the north-east. Boko Haram has attacked the city
several times, with suicide and car bombs that have killed scores.
In December they launched a bold attack on an air force base on
the outskirts in which they destroyed five aircraft and in
February an assault on the main military barracks in the city, in
which they freed hundreds of detainees.
The soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed detainees in the
aftermath of that last attack, mostly civilians accused of belonging
to or supporting the insurgency. Amnesty International put the
number of civilians killed by the soldiers at nearly 700.
Nigeria’s military is accused of massive human rights abuses in
the fight against the extremists, including the deaths of thousands
of illegally detained people.
Comments
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment