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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBoko Haram may have just killed 2,000 people: ‘Killing went on and on and on’
Source: Washington Post
Boko Haram may have just killed 2,000 people: Killing went on and on and on
By Terrence McCoy January 9 at 3:44 AM
For months, fear of Boko Haram has gripped Nigerias northeast. The goals of the Islamic militant group, which captured international attention through a relentless campaign of brutality, have long been about killing. But last summer, something changed. Its aspirations became as much about territory as terrorism. It no longer wants to just cripple a government. It wants to become one.
In August, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau announced the establishment of his Islamic Caliphate, quickly taking over every corner of Borno State in northeast Nigeria. But one town called Baga, populated by thousands of Nigerians along the western shores of Lake Chad, held out. Anchored by a multinational military base manned by troops from Niger to Chad, it was the last place in Borno under the national governments control. Over the weekend, that changed.
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Its not clear how many people were killed in Baga. Early reports on Thursday said hundreds. Others said it was many more. Musa Alhaji Bukar, a senior government official in Borno, said Boko Haram killed more than 2,000 people which, if true, would mean the group equaled its total kill count last year in one attack. More were said to have drowned in Lake Chad while attempting to swim to a nearby island. Some estimates said more than 20,000 people are now displaced as result of what one reporter called Boko Harams most horrific act of terrorism yet.
Baga, local government officials say, is simply no more. Its virtually non-existent, Bukar told the BBC. One man who escaped with his family told Agence France-Presse he had to navigate through many dead bodies on the ground and that the whole town was on fire. Another man told Reuters he escaped with my family in the car after seeing how Boko Haram was killing people I saw bodies in the street. Children and women, some were crying for help. He added: Bodies were littered on the streets and surrounding bushes.
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By Terrence McCoy January 9 at 3:44 AM
For months, fear of Boko Haram has gripped Nigerias northeast. The goals of the Islamic militant group, which captured international attention through a relentless campaign of brutality, have long been about killing. But last summer, something changed. Its aspirations became as much about territory as terrorism. It no longer wants to just cripple a government. It wants to become one.
In August, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau announced the establishment of his Islamic Caliphate, quickly taking over every corner of Borno State in northeast Nigeria. But one town called Baga, populated by thousands of Nigerians along the western shores of Lake Chad, held out. Anchored by a multinational military base manned by troops from Niger to Chad, it was the last place in Borno under the national governments control. Over the weekend, that changed.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Its not clear how many people were killed in Baga. Early reports on Thursday said hundreds. Others said it was many more. Musa Alhaji Bukar, a senior government official in Borno, said Boko Haram killed more than 2,000 people which, if true, would mean the group equaled its total kill count last year in one attack. More were said to have drowned in Lake Chad while attempting to swim to a nearby island. Some estimates said more than 20,000 people are now displaced as result of what one reporter called Boko Harams most horrific act of terrorism yet.
Baga, local government officials say, is simply no more. Its virtually non-existent, Bukar told the BBC. One man who escaped with his family told Agence France-Presse he had to navigate through many dead bodies on the ground and that the whole town was on fire. Another man told Reuters he escaped with my family in the car after seeing how Boko Haram was killing people I saw bodies in the street. Children and women, some were crying for help. He added: Bodies were littered on the streets and surrounding bushes.
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Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/01/09/boko-haram-may-have-killed-2000-people-in-one-attack/
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Boko Haram may have just killed 2,000 people: ‘Killing went on and on and on’ (Original Post)
Eugene
Jan 2015
OP
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)1. Monsters...the world is full of monsters
My heart breaks for the people of Nigeria.
inanna
(3,547 posts)2. From The Guardian:
Friday 9 January 2015 19.05 GMT
Amnesty International calls the killings a disturbing and bloody escalation and a local defense group says its fighters have given up trying to count the bodies
Link: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/09/boko-haram-deadliest-massacre-baga-nigeria
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)3. damn rip and i hope the refugees make it out.
CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)4. I found a pro-Caliphate group on Facebook two years ago.
I read a lot of the comments for several months (using Google translate).
I realized there is something very different about this new generation of jihadis. It's like they're hypnotized or programmed.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)5. sick
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)6. fuck. eom
jwirr
(39,215 posts)7. I do not want a war. But why is it that the worid does not seem to care what is happening.
poor black people, etc....
jwirr
(39,215 posts)9. I know and it breaks my heart.
greytdemocrat
(3,299 posts)10. My god...
They are just sick animals.
Takket
(21,729 posts)11. it's so great that we as a civilized world followed through on the promise to rescue those girls...
*tumbleweed*