[Al Arabiya Latest] Fighting raged for a fourth day running in northern Nigeria on Wednesday as troops tracked down remnants of an Islamist sect after clashes that have left at least 250 dead. Sounds of gunfire were heard through the night in Maiduguri city, the base of the self-styled Nigerian Taliban, following orders from President Umaru Yar'Adua for the armed forces to crush the movement "once and for all."Since it's sub-Saharan Africa, I'm guessing that means "kill them." I understand the name of the group, Boko Haram, means "Education is forbidden."
The home of the sect's leader Mohammed Yusuf was shelled by forces on Tuesday evening, along with a mosque where many of his followers have been gathered, but the fate of Yusuf was unclear.
Another article said he got away, which is what masterminds usually do, especially if they're holy men...
Residents said it appeared that troops were now closing in on the last of the militants amid claims of summary executions by the security forces.
Sounds fair, since the Nigerian "Talibs" were doing the same thing when attempting to impose their will...
Abdul Mimini Hassan, a resident of Maiduguri, said that gun battles continued throughout the night and were concentrated in the Bayan Quarters where Yusuf's home is located. "We kept hearing sounds of gunshots throughout the night. I believe the moonlight enabled them to fight," he told AFP.
It's easier if you're just firing in the enemy's general direction...The fighting in Bayan subsided shortly before dawn but gunfire could still be heard in the adjacent neighborhood of Ungwani Shamu. "Now I can hear sporadic gunshots outside our neighborhood, and we are about a kilometer away from the Taliban base. I believe the fighting is between pockets of members of the Taliban and the military," added Hassan.
That's probably a pretty good bet unless there are a few more armed groups participating in the festivities...
Maidguri, capital of Borno state, has seen the worst of the unrest in northern Nigeria since clashes first erupted on Sunday in Bauchi state. The first clashes broke out when police hit back at militants after a foiled attack at a police station, and spread rapidly to neighboring states.
Wouldn't that imply that the first clashes actually broke out when the "Talibs" attacked the police station? Who the hell writes this stuff?
Authorities say 55 were killed in Bauchi and Yobe states. However, most of the casualties appear to have been in Maiduguri where a police source said at least 206 people died on Monday alone.
I'm getting the impression most of the casualties have been on the turban side...The unrest is the deadliest in Nigeria since November last year when human rights groups say up to 700 were killed in the central city of Jos in direct clashes between Muslims and Christians.
Which is why we talk about "Islam's bloody border."
Scores of residents have been displaced by the violence, with many seeking refuge at the police headquarters where they huddled among corpses of militants killed during clashes with the military. Most of the bodies, young men in their 20s, were riddled with gunshots wounds. The smell of blood permeated the air.
Kinda to be expected if the bodies are riddled with holes. They let the blood out, y'know...
| Is that anything like letting out the magic blue smoke from my computer/PalmPilot/cell phone? |
"Please form a line so you can be executed in an orderly manner!"
Food is also running out as shops and businesses have been shut since Monday. Even hotels were not serving food as chefs and waiters have not been able to leave their houses for fear of being caught up in the crossfire. "The food situation is terrible. All markets and shops are closed, so even if you have money there is nowhere to buy food. We are eating garri (cassava flour porridge) and sugar," said Mohammed Awwan Mujahid. "I hope this fighting ends soon, otherwise we will starve," he added.Thank your local holy man...
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed alarm over the violence and condemned "the unnecessary loss of human life and the destruction of property."
I'll bet he didn't mention militant Islam by name, did he?
Yar'Adua said late Tuesday the group would be routed and punished. The military operation under way will "contain them once and for all," he said, adding: "They will be dealt with squarely and forthwith."When they're six feet under they don't pose serious problems, do they?
The Nigerian extremists emerged in 2002 in Maiduguri before setting up a camp on the border with Niger, from where it attacked launched a series of attacks against the police. The leadership has previously said it intends to lead an armed insurrection and rid society of "immorality" and "infidelity."
Announcing you're gonna lead an armed insurrection in Africa has a special kind of brilliance...
Troops then moved in to raze the camp during battles in which scores were killed. Many were arrested while others went underground. Remnants re-emerged in Maiduguri.
Imagine their suprise when the army showed up.
Northern Nigeria is mainly Muslim, although large Christian minorities have settled in the main towns, raising tensions between the two groups.
Islam just doesn't do well with competition...