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| Nigerian unrest: Damaturu city 'under militant attack' | Nigerian unrest: Damaturu city 'under militant attack' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Suspected Boko Haram militants have carried out attacks on the city of Damaturu in north-east Nigeria, residents and security sources say. | Suspected Boko Haram militants have carried out attacks on the city of Damaturu in north-east Nigeria, residents and security sources say. |
| The assault on the city, the capital of Yobe state, began shortly after 05:00 local time (04:00 GMT). | |
| Gunshots and explosions were heard and a base of the riot police was reported to have been set on fire. Yobe state university also came under attack. | Gunshots and explosions were heard and a base of the riot police was reported to have been set on fire. Yobe state university also came under attack. |
| Yobe is one of three Nigerian states under a state of emergency. | Yobe is one of three Nigerian states under a state of emergency. |
| The BBC spoke to a university student in Damaturu who said he had been woken by the sound of explosions and had seen a large number of militants wearing military uniforms moving into the city. | The BBC spoke to a university student in Damaturu who said he had been woken by the sound of explosions and had seen a large number of militants wearing military uniforms moving into the city. |
| He said he and some other residents had since fled to the surrounding countryside. | He said he and some other residents had since fled to the surrounding countryside. |
| 'Chaos all over' | 'Chaos all over' |
| Another resident, Umar Sada, told the AFP news agency: "We have left our homes. We are now in the bush. We don't know what's going to happen." | Another resident, Umar Sada, told the AFP news agency: "We have left our homes. We are now in the bush. We don't know what's going to happen." |
| A government official, who asked not to be identified, said: "It's chaos all over the town. All I can hear is explosions and gunfire from my house. | A government official, who asked not to be identified, said: "It's chaos all over the town. All I can hear is explosions and gunfire from my house. |
| "I couldn't go out for morning prayers because this started before dawn and I'm afraid to leave in case I get caught up in it." | "I couldn't go out for morning prayers because this started before dawn and I'm afraid to leave in case I get caught up in it." |
| Boko Haram has taken control of a series of towns and villages in north-east Nigeria in recent months. | Boko Haram has taken control of a series of towns and villages in north-east Nigeria in recent months. |
| The authorities have struggled to defeat the militant Islamist group, which has been waging an insurgency since 2009. | The authorities have struggled to defeat the militant Islamist group, which has been waging an insurgency since 2009. |
| New York-based Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram has killed more than 2,000 civilians this year. | New York-based Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram has killed more than 2,000 civilians this year. |
| On Friday, more than 100 people were killed in a gun and bomb attack on a mosque in the city of Kano. | On Friday, more than 100 people were killed in a gun and bomb attack on a mosque in the city of Kano. |
| The identity of the attackers has not been confirmed but Boko Haram has been widely blamed. | The identity of the attackers has not been confirmed but Boko Haram has been widely blamed. |
| Damaturu has been targeted by Boko Haram a number of times before. At least 63 people were killed in an attack on churches and police in 2011 in what was then the deadliest attack of the insurgency. | |
| On several other occasions since then, militants and the security forces have engaged in gun battles in the city. | |
| Earlier this year, a suicide bomber in Damaturu targeted a crowd watching a televised World Cup football match, killing more than 20 people. | |
| Who are Boko Haram? | Who are Boko Haram? |
| Escape from Boko Haram | Escape from Boko Haram |
| Who are Boko Haram? | Who are Boko Haram? |
| Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau | Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau |
| Will 'truce' with Boko Haram free Chibok girls? | Will 'truce' with Boko Haram free Chibok girls? |