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Troops, Islamists Clash Near Site Of Latest Kidnap by collinsflex(m): 7:12pm On Dec 20, 2014
Nigerian troops have repelled a Boko Haram attack
near the village where 185 people were kidnapped
last week, killing several insurgents, soldiers and
witnesses said Saturday.
Roughly 150 militants stormed the town of Bulabulin
on Wednesday, but the military had reportedly
received advanced warning of the raid.
Bulabulin lies in the Damboa local government
district of northeastern Borno state and is near the
village of Gumsuri where 185 people, mostly women
and children, were kidnapped last Sunday.
“Our men climbed high electricity poles for
surveillance and sighted (the insurgents) from afar,”
said a senior officer who participated in the
operation but requested anonymity.
Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said Friday that
troops were battling Boko Haram fighters in the area,
but was unavailable to give details on clashes in
Bulabulin.
Two security sources estimated that a large number
of insurgents were killed by the military but there
was no official toll.
Resident Samuel James confirmed that the military
overpowered the militants.
“We would have been dead by now but the army
really gave the terrorists a good fight,” he told AFP.
Olukolade said reports of the mass kidnapping in
Gumsuri needed to be verified but confirmed that
Boko Haram had attacked the town, killing a number
of civilians.
Locals and officials said the hostages were carted
away on trucks towards the Sambisa Forest, a
notorious Islamist stronghold.
Sambisa is also where more than 200 schoolgirls
kidnapped in April were reportedly taken before
being split into groups.
Details of unrest in the northeast often take days to
emerge because the mobile phone network in the
region has mostly collapsed and many roads are
impassable.
Separately, Boko Haram fighters attacked the town of
Damagun in neighbouring Yobe state late Friday but
caused no casualties, police and witnesses said.
Scores of gunmen riding on motorcycles shot
sporadically in the air and set fire to public buildings.
The destroyed a police station, a fire station and local
government buildings, said a police officer based in
the area who requested anonymity.
“Some of us ran into the bush while others shut
themselves indoors,” said resident Grema Ahmad.
Another local, Salisu Ibrahim, said he was surprised
that the insurgents did not target civilians.
“They made no attempt to pursue fleeing civilians or
break into homes which they could have done if they
had wanted to,” he told AFP.
The Boko Haram conflict has claimed more than
13,000 lives since 2009.
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan is facing
intense pressure to contain the violence as he stands
for re-election on February 14.

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