Military, Boko Haram in fierce battle

A fierce confronta­tion broke out last night be­tween the mili­tary and Boko Haram, as insurgents attacked a military base in Galda, Yobe State.

This is coming at a time when Niger Republic army repelled Boko Haram’s sec­ond attack, in three days, on the border town of Diffa yes­terday, a day before its parlia­ment votes on whether to join a regional offensive against the insurgents.

Sources revealed that the insurgents attacked the mili­tary at about 7.30pm and met stiff resistance from the mili­tary.
At the time of going to press, the gun battle between the military and the insurgents raged, with casualties.
In a related development, Niger’s army successfully repelled by Boko Haram. Re­uters quoted military sources as saying that several people were killed in a fierce early morning firefight when Boko Haram gunmen attempted to advance toward Diffa but were pushed back by the army. Residents reported hearing heavy gunfire.
Hours later, an explosion in Diffa’s market killed at least one person and left 20 injured, six of them in a serious con­dition, according to a doc­tor in the town hospital. AFP reported a health official as saying that a suicide bomber reportedly blew herself up in the centre of the town.
“The child was work­ing near a food vendor,” the source, who pleaded anonym­ity, stated, while adding that the injured were receiving treatment.
An official at Diffa town hall said the blast appeared to be the work of a female sui­cide attacker who blew herself up at the local market, while other sources referred to a bomb or mortar shell.
However, Nuger Republic Defence Minister Mahamadou Karijo, visiting Diffa to pay homage to soldiers killed in Friday’s attack, said the deto­nation was due to a stray shell.
He said: “This morning, there was shelling by the ter­rorists and unfortunately a shell fell on the market. There was one person killed and six wounded.
“The situation is under con­trol and we hope that tomor­row (today) parliament will authorise us to go on the of­fensive.”
An emergency services worker had earlier told Re­uters at least five people died in the attack.
Authorities imposed a cur­few in the town from 8 pm to 6 am (1400 ET to 0000 ET). Meanwhile, neighboring Chad has deployed some 2,500 troops to Niger’s southern border region and to Cam­eroon, ahead of a planned military offensive by regional powers against Boko Haram.
Niger’s parliament is due to vote today on a proposal to send its troops into Nigeria to help fight Boko Haram.
Chadian forces already crossed into Nigeria last week to the south of Lake Chad to attack Boko Haram in the town of Gambaru, bordering Cameroon.
In several towns across Cameroon, tens of thousands of people took to the streets at the weekend to show their support for the army, in the struggle against Boko Haram.