Over 300 terrorists killed in town recapture, claims Nigeria’s military
19 Feb 2015 10:40 PM GMT
“Over 300 terrorists were killed while a few were also captured,” defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said in an emailed statement. There was no independent verification of the claims, which follow similar assertions about Boko Haram casualties by Niger, Chad and Cameroon involved in the regional fight-back against the militants. Civilian vigilantes in the town spoken to by AFP confirmed that the town had been retaken but said only that there were heavy casualties, without specifying numbers.
Nigeria’s military on Monday said it had regained control of Monguno, after the militants captured the town on January 25, sparking fears about an assault on the Borno state capital. Monguno lies about about 125 kilometres north of Maiduguri, which has long been seen as a key prize for the militants in their quest to establish a hardline Islamic state. Olukolade claimed that the “massive” casualties came after a two-day operation to liberate Monguno and 10 other communities, which destroyed a cache of equipment, arms and ammunition.
The cache included five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, some 50 cases of shells and eight different types of machine guns.
Five rocket-propelled grenades, 49 boxes containing ammunition as well as 300 motorcycles were also destroyed, the spokesman added. Two Nigerian soldiers were killed and 10 others injured in the operation, he said. “The cordon and search operations is continuing along with aggressive patrols by troops who are now dominating the cleared communities,” the statement said.
Boko Haram threatens polls
Islamist group Boko Haram has vowed to make voting impossible in Nigeria’s upcoming election after a spate of deadly attacks in the country’s violence-wracked northeast.
The group’s leader Abubakar Shekau said in a new video posted on Twitter late on Tuesday evening that his fighters would disrupt polling in Africa’s most populous nation scheduled for March 28.
“This election will not be held even if we are dead. Even if we are not alive, Allah will never allow you to do it,” he said.
Nigeria’s military on Monday said it had regained control of Monguno, after the militants captured the town on January 25, sparking fears about an assault on the Borno state capital. Monguno lies about about 125 kilometres north of Maiduguri, which has long been seen as a key prize for the militants in their quest to establish a hardline Islamic state. Olukolade claimed that the “massive” casualties came after a two-day operation to liberate Monguno and 10 other communities, which destroyed a cache of equipment, arms and ammunition.
The cache included five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, some 50 cases of shells and eight different types of machine guns.
Five rocket-propelled grenades, 49 boxes containing ammunition as well as 300 motorcycles were also destroyed, the spokesman added. Two Nigerian soldiers were killed and 10 others injured in the operation, he said. “The cordon and search operations is continuing along with aggressive patrols by troops who are now dominating the cleared communities,” the statement said.
Boko Haram threatens polls
Islamist group Boko Haram has vowed to make voting impossible in Nigeria’s upcoming election after a spate of deadly attacks in the country’s violence-wracked northeast.
The group’s leader Abubakar Shekau said in a new video posted on Twitter late on Tuesday evening that his fighters would disrupt polling in Africa’s most populous nation scheduled for March 28.
“This election will not be held even if we are dead. Even if we are not alive, Allah will never allow you to do it,” he said.
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