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Nigeria Shias in Potiskum hit by 'suicide attack' | Nigeria Shias in Potiskum hit by 'suicide attack' |
(35 minutes later) | |
A suicide bomber has blown himself up at a Shia religious ceremony in north-east Nigeria, killing about 20 people, eyewitnesses have told the BBC. | A suicide bomber has blown himself up at a Shia religious ceremony in north-east Nigeria, killing about 20 people, eyewitnesses have told the BBC. |
The bomber joined the ceremony in Potiskum town and blew himself up, the witnesses said. | The bomber joined the ceremony in Potiskum town and blew himself up, the witnesses said. |
No group has said it carried out the attack, but suspicion is bound to fall on militant Sunni Islamist group Boko Haram. | No group has said it carried out the attack, but suspicion is bound to fall on militant Sunni Islamist group Boko Haram. |
It denounces Shias, a minority in Nigeria, as non-Muslims. | It denounces Shias, a minority in Nigeria, as non-Muslims. |
Witnesses told the BBC Hausa service the bomb exploded when the crowd was marching to mark Ashura, a solemn day when Shias mourn the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in 680 AD at Karbala in modern-day Iraq. | Witnesses told the BBC Hausa service the bomb exploded when the crowd was marching to mark Ashura, a solemn day when Shias mourn the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in 680 AD at Karbala in modern-day Iraq. |
A police officer at the scene who requested anonymity said: "It was a huge crowd and many of them were affected," AFP news agency reports. | A police officer at the scene who requested anonymity said: "It was a huge crowd and many of them were affected," AFP news agency reports. |
Who are Boko Haram? | Who are Boko Haram? |
Who are Boko Haram? | Who are Boko Haram? |
Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau | Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau |
The head of Potiskum's Shia community, Mustapha Lawan Nasidi, confirmed that 15 worshippers had died in the blast and another 50 had been wounded, AFP reports. | |
One man, Mohammed Gana, told Reuters news agency that his brother had been killed in the attack. | |
He counted 23 bodies at the scene, he said. | |
Resident Yusuf Abdullahi told Reuters the explosion took place near his home. | |
"I heard a very heavy explosion as if it happened in my room," he said. | |
Boko Haram has waged an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009, with some 2,000 civilians killed this year alone, rights activists say. | Boko Haram has waged an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009, with some 2,000 civilians killed this year alone, rights activists say. |
It has repeatedly targeted Christians and rival Muslim groups. | It has repeatedly targeted Christians and rival Muslim groups. |
In July, it was blamed for bombing an open-air mosque in Potiskum, killing four people. | In July, it was blamed for bombing an open-air mosque in Potiskum, killing four people. |
Potiskum is in Yobe, one of three states where Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency in May 2013 after vowing to crush the insurgency. | Potiskum is in Yobe, one of three states where Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency in May 2013 after vowing to crush the insurgency. |
Boko Haram has intensified attacks since then and sparked global outrage in April by abducting more than 219 schoolgirls. | Boko Haram has intensified attacks since then and sparked global outrage in April by abducting more than 219 schoolgirls. |
Last week, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau rejected government claims that the two sides had agreed a ceasefire in talks brokered by Chad. | Last week, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau rejected government claims that the two sides had agreed a ceasefire in talks brokered by Chad. |
Mr Shekau also denied that Boko Haram planned to release the schoolgirls. | Mr Shekau also denied that Boko Haram planned to release the schoolgirls. |
All the girls had converted to Islam, and had been married off, he said. | All the girls had converted to Islam, and had been married off, he said. |