Boko Haram fighters have staged a new attack on Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state in northeast Nigeria. The latest battle between the militants and soldiers began Saturday night and continued into Sunday. The extremists are attacking the city from four roads. A top military officer told VOA the insurgents "are everywhere now." The sound of heavy artillery could be heard throughout the city. A VOA reporter, Abdulkareem Haruna, saw hundreds of civilians armed with hunting rifles, clubs and machetes advancing toward the battles, saying they want to help the soldiers stop the militants. Boko Haram attempted to take Maiduguri last Sunday, but failed. Analysts have said the insurgents would likely make another attempt to take over Maiduguri before Nigeria's February 14 general election. The African Union has agreed to move forward with a proposal to send 7,500 troops to fight the Boko Haram insurgency. The conflict has forced more than a million people from their homes and killed some 10,000 people in the past year alone, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The Nigerian army has struggled to contain Boko Haram, which has said it is taking territory for a caliphate ruled by Islamic law. Last April, Boko Haram stirred international outrage when it kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from the remote Nigerian town of Chibok. Dozens have managed to escape, but more than 200 remain missing.
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1LySdkk
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1LySdkk
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