Nigerian troops have massed around Gwoza to retake the town
from members of the Islamist group, Boko Haram, military
sources have disclosed. The battle for control of Gwoza rages
as reports emerged that Boko Haram insurgents today killed 20
people in Doro Baga in Kukawa local government area of Borno State.
The residents of the embattled village also disclosed that the militants
kidnapped several women in an early morning raid.

One military source in Abuja told SaharaReporters that the soldiers on
the mission to recapture the town were drafted from Maiduguri and
Mubi in Adamawa State. The officer added that special Army and Air
Force units had been pounding Boko Haram positions since yesterday.
“Over 1000 soldiers are involved in this operation to take Gwoza back
from Boko Haram,” said the officer, adding that the troop
commanders were confident of dislodging the insurgents in a matter
of hours or days.

A resident of Bama, which is 35 miles from Gwoza, told
SaharaReporters that he had observed a large contingent of troops
moving towards Gwoza in the last 24 hours. He also stated that he had
heard gunfire overnight.
Boko Haram insurgents overran Gwoza last week, killing at least 100
residents, including the wife of the town’s emir, his brother, and the
chief Imam of Gwoza.

Shortly after taking over Gwoza, Boko Haram militants repelled a
column of soldiers that came from Bama to chase them away,
inflicting a significant casualty on the troops. Two days later, a group
of soldiers from the 234 Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Agu had
to abandon Gwoza when Boko Haram fighters overwhelmed them. In
that battle, the Islamist militants captured one military tank and its
driver. They also burnt two other tanks.

Some of the soldiers who spoke anonymously to SaharaReporters said
the lack of communication equipment inside the tanks was responsible
for the costly tactical errors in the earlier Gwoza operation. “The front
tank suddenly turned back when its weaponry malfunctioned,” said one
soldier. He added that, unable to figure out the reason for the sudden
turn around, the troops took to their heels instead of positioning the
three other tanks behind to engage the militants.

Officials at Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters in Abuja have declined to
speak officially about the latest battle, but a military source in Abuja
anonymously confirmed that the military had started waging a wide
range of operational activities aimed at driving Boko Haram militants
out of Gwoza.

http://saharareporters.com/2014/08/13/nigerian-troops-battle-retake-gwoza-boko-haram-kills-20-kidnaps-women

As if Ebola is not enough headache. May God save us from every form of evil.