According to the source, some members of the insurgent group arrived in the town of New Marte in cars and sports utility vehicles and launched an attack on a military base and civilian targets, leaving some soldiers and scores of civilians dead.
A Nigerian military source has revealed that dozens of civilians and soldiers died yesterday as Islamist group Boko Haram struck again in a community in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno.
According to the source, some members of the insurgent group arrived in the town of New Marte in cars and sports utility vehicles and launched an attack on a military base and civilian targets, leaving some soldiers and scores of civilians dead.
“They attacked as a heavy group, shooting at both civilians and soldiers. Then one of their Golf cars laden with explosives sped and hit one of our APC [anti-personnel carrier] tanks. The collision caused a big explosion that killed many people and seriously injured many more,” said our source.
He added: “Our soldiers killed a number of them. They were so many of them, so there was shooting from all angles.” According to the military source, the major cause of casualty was the explosion after the insurgents’ car rammed into an APC. “The multiple explosions led to the deaths of dozens of both civilians and soldiers nearby,” he said.
The military source disclosed that the insurgents also set houses ablaze. There was no official confirmation from the Defense Headquarters in Abuja as at the time this report was filed.