Terrorists Kill Soldiers, Civilians in North-east

Air strikes decimate seven insurgents in Zamfara

Terrorists, weekend, attacked an army base and a town in the North-east, killing soldiers and civilians in the latest violence to rock the region, security sources and residents said yesterday. In another development, military air strikes killed seven armed bandits in Zamfara.

The clashes came as armed bandits reportedly organised a feast for the child of a 16-yearold abducted female student of Federal Government College (FGC), Birnin Yauri, in Kebbi State, who gave birth to a child in captivity.

Fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) riding trucks fitted with machineguns stormed the town of Malam Fatori, in Abadam District, late Friday and early

Saturday, sources said.

“ISWAP terrorists attacked Malam Fatori and caused huge destruction which we are working to quantify,” a military officer told AFP.

“They attacked the military base and engaged troops in a fight while a second group went on a killing spree and arson in the town,” said the officer who asked not to be identified. The first attack, near the Niger border, came at dusk Friday, leading to a fierce battle with soldiers, who repelled the assault, said resident Buji Garwa.

In a pre-dawn attack on the base and the town on Saturday, the jihadists hurled explosives and killed residents, while others drowned in a river trying to flee.

“It is not clear how many people were killed because we all fled the town and are now gradually returning to assess the damage,” Garwa said, adding that a large part of the town had been set on fire.