185 killed as Boko Haram and
soldiers fight in Borno – Officials


Fighting between soldiers and
Boko Haram members killed at
least 185 people in Baga, a
fishing community in Borno,
officials said Sunday, an attack
that saw insurgents fire rocket-
propelled grenades and soldiers
spray machine-gun fire into
neighborhoods filled with
civilians.
The fighting in Baga
began Friday and lasted
for hours, sending people
fleeing into the arid scrublands
surrounding the community on
Lake Chad.
By Sunday, when government
officials finally felt safe enough to
see the destruction, homes,
businesses and vehicles were
burned throughout the area.
Authorities had found and buried at
least 185 bodies as of Sunday
afternoon, said Lawan Kole, a local
government official in Baga.
He spoke haltingly to Borno state
Gov. Kashim Shettima in the Kanuri
language, surrounded by still-
frightened villagers.
Brig. Gen. Austin Edokpaye, also on
the visit, did not dispute the
casualty figures. Edokpaye said the
extremists used heavy machine
guns and rocket-propelled
grenades in the assault, which
began after soldiers surrounded a
mosque they believed housed
members of the radical extremist
network Boko Haram.
Edokpaye said extremists used
civilians as human shields during
the fighting - implying that soldiers
opened fire in neighborhoods
where they knew civilians lived.
"'When we reinforced and returned
to the scene the terrorists came out
with heavy firepower, including
(rocket-propelled grenades), which
usually has a conflagration effect,"
the general said.
Sunday afternoon, the burned
bodies of cattle and goats still filled
the streets. Bullet holes marred
burned buildings.
"Everyone has been in the bush
since Friday night; we started
returning back to town because the
governor came to town today,"
grocer Bashir Isa said. "To get food
to eat in the town now is a
problem because even the markets
are burnt. We are still picking
corpses of women and children in
the bush and creeks."

Source:

www.m.naij.com/news/31748.html

So govt can't use fighter jets 2 lynch these good 4 nothing pple. Why are they engaging them on ground battle?