Three female suicide bombers have targeted a refugee camp in northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 27 people.
ChristianToday.com reports that the women were likely associated with Boko Haram. The attacks also took place in Borno State, an area where Boko Haram militants often carry out attacks.
In addition to the 27 people who were killed in the attack, 83 were reportedly wounded.
The Nigerian army has been fighting to regain control of the region from the jihadists, but this attack will likely set back the progress the army had achieved. The Nigerian army had been making inroads into Boko Haram territory in the last few weeks, but the militants are not surrendering easily. Just in the last two months, they have killed at least 143 people.
Boko Haram has killed 20,000 people in the last eight years and has displaced 2.7 million others. It’s main faction is led by Abubakar Shekau and its operation is mainly based in the Sambisa forest.
A loose translation of Boko Haram is “Western education is a sin.” True to their name, the jihadists often specifically target schools and places that have been touched by Western influence.
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: August 16, 2017