By: Danielle L. Gwozdz
Impunity Watch News Reporter, Africa

ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s army and Boko Haram militants engage in a fierce battle in Borno state, leaving many dead on both sides. In May, Nigeria’s air force carried out similar attacks, killing at least 20 insurgents at suspected militant Islamist camps.

Thousands of troops have been sent to north-eastern Nigeria (photo courtesy of AP)

After all of the fighting, the army reports that it has killed 150 militants, while 16 soldiers died and 9 are missing. However, local media reports that around 100 soldiers may have died.

“Our military has overrun a number of the militants’ camps in north and central Borno state,” said defense spokesman Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade.

“Within those insurgents’ camps, we discovered that they have been storing sophisticated, high-caliber weapons including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.”

Several thousands of people have been killed by Boko Haram since it launched its insurgency in 2009, seeking to create an Islamic state in the mainly Muslim north of Nigeria.

A state of emergency was declared in Borno and two neighboring states in May, with thousands of extra troops sent to the area.

Local vigilante groups have also been formed to help counter the militants, but scores of these volunteers have been killed in recent weeks.

Last month, the army said it killed Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau but this has not been confirmed and the militants’ attacks have continued.

“The operation continues, we are injecting even more troops and resources into those areas,” Olukolade added.

In May, a spokesman for the U.N. human rights commissioner told reporters that Boko Haram could face war crimes charges for alleged ethnic and religious cleansing in Nigeria.

According to Human Rights Watch, the group has killed more than 2,800 people in an escalating campaign to impose strict Islamic law on largely Muslim northern Nigeria.

The U.N. human rights office is calling on Nigeria’s government to respect human rights principles during security sweeps, following reports of heavy casualties in some parts of the country.

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, with a population of nearly 175 million according to the CIA World Factbook, and is the political and economic powerhouse of West Africa.

For more information, please visit:

BBC News – Nigeria’s Boko Haram unrest: Scores killed in Borno state – 18 September 2013
CNN – Nigeria military: Insurgents killed in raid on militant camps – 17 May 2013
Sunnews – Nigeria Boko Haram attack kills 11 – 17 September 2013
Nigeria70 – Nigeria’s Boko Haram unrest: Scores killed in Borno state – 18 September 2013
World News Inc – Nigeria’s Boko Haram unrest: Scores killed in Borno state – 18 September 2013
Word Press – Nigeria’s Boko Haram unrest: Scores killed in Borno state – 18 September 2013

Author: Impunity Watch Archive