Nigeria’s army said Friday it had killed 74 suspected Boko Haram fighters in a raid in northeastern Borno state, as gunmen from the Islamist group battled security forces in a neighbouring area.
According to the army members, they had deployed bombs and ground troops to destroy insurgent camps in Borno on Thursday.
Army spokesman Mohammed Dole said that “74 suspected militants” were killed in the assault outside the Borno capital Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was founded more than a decade ago.
This operation followed the successful raid on Monday, in the course of which the military said 37 Islamists had been killed.
In a separate outbreak of violence, suspected Islamist fighters stormed Damaturu city in coordinated raids on Thursday, burning at least four police buildings, said a senior police officer who requested anonymity.
According to the officer's claims, there were casualties.
The military had claimed an offensive launched more than four months ago had put Boko Haram on the defensive and left it incapable of attacking major urban centres like Damaturu.
Figures released earlier this year said the conflict had cost more than 3,600 lives, including killings by the security forces.
Current figures are much higher.
Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, is repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram. They aim at creating an Islamic state in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north.
Commenting on the attack, the officer said that the gunmen had invaded the city in large numbers in vehicles and on foot, from different directions. Then they opened fire on police facilities with guns and explosives, which was followed by violent fight with the army and policemen until night.
“There are indeed casualties, including a number of the insurgents, but it is difficult to say how many they are”, the officer said.
According to the information provided by one of the residents attacks started around 5:00 pm and continued late into the night, forcing residents to stay indoors.
“We didn’t sleep last night due to fright and the deafening gun sounds and explosions coming from all over the city,” resident Sadi said.
Boko Haram, thought to be a fragmented group, with a murky leadership structure, has attacked churches, mosques, the security forces and schools across northern and central Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and top oil producer.
They have killed many people across the northeast since late June, including scores of students.
Last month, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the country’s top military leaders to redouble their efforts following a spate of brutal attacks on civilians.
Jonathan imposed a state of emergency across the northeast in mid-May when the offensive was launched.
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