Nigerian army has promised to avenge the deaths of 30 its soldiers killed by Boko Haram terrorists
Niger miltary is planning serious counter-attack on Boko Haram insurgents after 30 Nigerien soldier were killed during a fierce battle with terrorists in the south-eastern town of Bosso on Friday night. Describing the recent attack as one of the deadliest in the country Defence Minister Hassoumi Massoudou said: “We must continue to fight, this insult must be expunged, there is nothing to be done, it must be avenged.” According to local media, the minister, army chiefs and Nigerian General Lamidi Adeosun, the commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) fromBenin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, visited military positions in affected town.
The minister also inspected the town to assess the damage done by Islamic terrorists and adressed the troops at Bosso garrison, urging them to keep their “morale high” as “we will win this war.” After visiting the site of the bloodshed Mr Massoudou added: “It’s terrible, all of Niger is crying. I feel deeply wounded. The attack will unfortunately be engraved on the history of our people.”
Recalling the day of the onslaught local resident and former MP Elhaj Aboubacar said: “They drove up at twilight, shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), they fired a lot of shots and torched many places in Bosso. We don’t know where our military went, but one thing is for sure, Boko Haram were able to do what they liked until dawn.”
A UN source reports about thousands of residents fleeing Bosso to more secure places. Water, food, shelter and medical aid remain the most urgent needs, as humanitarian aid missions to Bosso were suspended for security reasons. Friday’s attack that took the lives of 30 Nigerien soldiers and two Nigerian soldiers and left at least 67 wounded is believed to be one of the deadliest attacks by Boko Haram in Niger since it began launching raids in the country in February 2015. While local military sources say about planned and “decisive” offensive against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region, the mayor of Bosso reports about Boko Haram reoccupying the town of Bosso in southeastern Niger overnight after clashes with soldiers from Niger and Nigeria.May God save Nigeria
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