Extremists Attacks In Nigeria's North-East Leaves 11 People Dead

Suspected extremists attacked a secondary school and military checkpoint in Nigeria’s northeast, leaving 11 people dead including seven students, the military said on Monday.

Details were sketchy and the information could not be independently confirmed. Mobile phone lines have been cut in much of the northeast since the start of a military offensive targeting the extremist group, Boko Haram, on May 15 and access to the area is limited.

The attackers were said to have stormed student living quarters on Sunday night in the city of Damaturu and shot sporadically, killing seven students and two teachers. Two insurgents were also killed, the military said.

A military checkpoint was also attacked and soldiers fought a five-hour gun battle with the extremists, leaving three soldiers wounded, said Lieutenant Eli Lazarus, a military spokesman in Yobe state, where Damaturu is located.

“Two teachers and two insurgents were killed during the separate attacks, while seven innocent students lost their lives,” he said in a statement.

“Three of the militants were arrested and are presently in (military) custody.”

The sequence of events was unclear, including whether the shootout occurred around the school or at the checkpoint. Lazarus could not be reached for further information.

Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates to “Western education is sin,” has carried out multiple attacks on schools in violence-torn northeast Nigeria.

.........AFP, Monday, June 17, 2013

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