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| Boko Haram crisis: Militants attack key city of Maiduguri | Boko Haram crisis: Militants attack key city of Maiduguri |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Fighters from the Islamist militant group Boko Haram have launched an attack on the key city of Maiduguri in north-eastern Nigeria. | |
| Fierce fighting was reported on the outskirts. The military is carrying out air strikes, and a curfew is in place. | Fierce fighting was reported on the outskirts. The military is carrying out air strikes, and a curfew is in place. |
| Maiduguri is home to tens of thousands of people who have fled Boko Haram attacks and was visited on Saturday by President Goodluck Jonathan. | Maiduguri is home to tens of thousands of people who have fled Boko Haram attacks and was visited on Saturday by President Goodluck Jonathan. |
| Another Boko Haram attack was reported in Monguno, north of Maiduguri. | Another Boko Haram attack was reported in Monguno, north of Maiduguri. |
| Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language, launched guerrilla operations in 2009 to create an Islamic state. | |
| Thousands of people have been killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria. | Thousands of people have been killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria. |
| Human rights group Amnesty International has warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians are now "at grave risk''. | |
| Separately, US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Lagos for talks with President Jonathan and the main opposition's presidential candidate, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari. | |
| 'Pray for us' | 'Pray for us' |
| Residents of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, say they woke to sustained loud explosions and gunshots. Roads and business have been closed by security forces. | Residents of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, say they woke to sustained loud explosions and gunshots. Roads and business have been closed by security forces. |
| One resident on the outskirts of the town told the BBC that "hundreds of thousands of people" were fleeing and that the military was keeping a low profile. | |
| "Only prayers will save us now, not the military," she said, pointing out that the town's defences now depended on civilian volunteers who had formed to repel the militant threat. | |
| The attack appeared to have begun in the Njimtilo district on the edge of the city. | The attack appeared to have begun in the Njimtilo district on the edge of the city. |
| One resident there, Rachel Adamu, told Reuters: "Please pray for us, we are in danger, under serious attack now." | One resident there, Rachel Adamu, told Reuters: "Please pray for us, we are in danger, under serious attack now." |
| Nigerian military spokesman Chris Olukolade tweeted that a curfew had been imposed in Maiduguri following an attack there and elsewhere in Borno state. | |
| A resident of the Moronti area, Buba Kyari, told Agence France-Presse: "It is flying bullets everywhere. All we hear are sounds of guns and explosions. A rocket-propelled grenade hit and killed a person from my neighbourhood who was fleeing into the city." | A resident of the Moronti area, Buba Kyari, told Agence France-Presse: "It is flying bullets everywhere. All we hear are sounds of guns and explosions. A rocket-propelled grenade hit and killed a person from my neighbourhood who was fleeing into the city." |
| The BBC's Chris Ewokor in Abuja says the military are carrying out co-ordinated air strikes and ground attacks against the insurgents. | The BBC's Chris Ewokor in Abuja says the military are carrying out co-ordinated air strikes and ground attacks against the insurgents. |
| Militants also reportedly attacked Monguno, 140km (86 miles) north of Maiduguri. | Militants also reportedly attacked Monguno, 140km (86 miles) north of Maiduguri. |
| Security sources told Reuters the army there was being overwhelmed, with houses set on fire. | Security sources told Reuters the army there was being overwhelmed, with houses set on fire. |
| A journalist in Maiduguri told the BBC that fleeing soldiers from Monguno were now arriving at the barracks in in Maiduguri. | |
| The journalist - who did not want to be named - told the BBC that he saw the bodies of at least 38 soldiers who had mostly been killed in fighting at Njimtilo, on the outskirts of Maiduguri. | |
| Boko Haram at a glance | Boko Haram at a glance |
| Soldiers without weapons | Soldiers without weapons |
| Who are Boko Haram? | Who are Boko Haram? |
| Why Nigeria has not defeated Boko Haram | Why Nigeria has not defeated Boko Haram |
| Maiduguri would be a major prize for Boko Haram, which last tried to take the city in December 2013. | Maiduguri would be a major prize for Boko Haram, which last tried to take the city in December 2013. |
| President Jonathan visited Maiduguri on Saturday as part of his election campaign for polls in February. | President Jonathan visited Maiduguri on Saturday as part of his election campaign for polls in February. |
| It was his second visit in two weeks. Before these trips his last visit had been in March 2013. | It was his second visit in two weeks. Before these trips his last visit had been in March 2013. |
| On his visit on 16 January, he told some of the 5,000 refugees who had fled recent Boko Haram violence: "I want to assure you that you will soon go back to your houses." | |
| He pledged that "all the areas under the control of Boko Haram will soon be recaptured". | He pledged that "all the areas under the control of Boko Haram will soon be recaptured". |
| His visit came after Amnesty International released satellite images of towns attacked by Boko Haram, suggesting widespread destruction and a high death toll. | |
| The pictures showed some 3,700 structures damaged or destroyed in Baga and neighbouring Doron Baga in the first week of the year, the human rights group said. | |
| Nigeria's government has disputed reports that as many as 2,000 people were killed, putting the toll at nearer 150. | |
| State department officials said Mr Kerry, in his meetings with the president and opposition leader, would urge them to appeal to supporters to refrain from violence in the lead-up to the election. Hundreds died after Mr Jonathan was elected in 2011. | |
| Are you in Maiduguri? Have you been affected by recent events? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | Are you in Maiduguri? Have you been affected by recent events? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. |
| Have your say | Have your say |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions. | Read the terms and conditions. |