Boko
Haram gunmen launched a dawn raid Saturday on the hometown of Nigerian army
chief, triggering a fierce
gunbattle with troops, residents of a nearby village
to which people fled the clashes said.
There
was no immediate report of casualties in the fighting in Buratai in Borno
state, the home village of Tukur Yusuf Buratai, Nigeria’s top army officer.
Abubakar
Umar, a resident of the nearby hamlet of Miringa, told AFP that the fighting
began at 5:00 am after Boko Haram insurgents attacked the village.
“At
one point we could hear explosions coming from the direction of Buratai,” he
said.
Troops
reinforcements from a military base in the town of Biu, 30 kilometres from
Buratai, were seen passing through Miringa.
“Nine
trucks conveying soldiers and another four carrying local hunters drove through
our village towards Buratai and from what we hear more are on their way,” said
Shitu Ayuba, another resident.
Some
Buratai residents had fled to Miringa, where they took shelter in a primary
school, locals said.
Buratai
and nearby villages have been repeatedly targeted in deadly raids by the
Islamist insurgents since June, when the army chief assumed office.
Residents
believe the attacks are in response to recent military gains against the
jihadists under the army chief.
Nigerian
President Muhammadu Buhari has given the military a December 31 deadline to
crush the jihadist uprising that has killed some 17,000 and displaced around
2.6 million people since 2009.
0 Comments