Boko Haram raids two northeastern Nigerian towns
Iran Press TV
Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:34AM GMT
Fresh clashes have reportedly erupted between Nigerian army forces and the Boko Haram Takfiri militants in the northeastern state of Borno despite a recent ceasefire deal between the two sides.
Witnesses said the fighting broke out on Wednesday when the Boko Haram militants launched an attack on the town of Uba and managed to overrun the area before pushing to capture Mubi, a commercial hub in the neighboring Adamawa state.
The Boko Haram Takfiris used firepower, including rocket-propelled grenades, during the attacks, local sources said. Nigerian troops also responded by opening fire on the militants and bombing their positions.
According to locals, the new spate of violence killed several people and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.
"There is virtually not a single resident left in Mubi. Everybody has left to save their lives," said Habu Saidu, a local resident.
The new raids came two days after suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed several people in the town of Kukawa, located some 180 kilometers (112 miles) from Borno's capital, Maiduguri.
Analysts say the Wednesday clashes are another blow to the fragile truce deal between the Nigerian government and the Boko Haram militants.
Earlier this month, Abuja announced it had secured a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram that would facilitate the release of 219 schoolgirls abducted by the militants in mid-April.
Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is forbidden," says its goal is to overthrow the Nigerian government.
It has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly gun and bomb attacks in various parts of Nigeria since the beginning of its operations in 2009, which have left more than 10,000 people dead so far.
MKA/AS/MHB
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