Double Suicide Bomb Attack Kills Dozens at Nigerian Mosque: Report
Witnesses say a double suicide bomb attack killed dozens inside a mosque in Maiduguri, reports The Guardian. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the report mentions that Boko Haram recently claimed responsibility for suicide attacks that killed 18 and injured another 41 outside Abuja.
The number of dead is disputed by police, who so far have reported 14 fatalities. The mosque collapsed following the explosions, causing an unknown number of further casualties.
The bombers slipped into the mosque disguised as worshippers, said witnesses, adding that one of the attackers set off the first blast when he entered the mosque. The second bomber detonated his explosives soon after, when many had rushed to the scene to help the first victims.
“When rescuers and sympathisers gathered in front of the place, the second one went off, killing many of them,” said Marte.
Despite boasts from the Nigerian military that Boko Haram has been substantially weakened, violent attacks continue. The group is suspected in a suicide attack carried out by as many as five individual bombers in a refugee camp in Chad on Saturday, according to the BBC.
President Obama notified Congress on Wednesday of his plan to send 300 troops to neighboring Cameroon to bolster on-the-ground intelligence in the regional conflict against Boko Haram. White House spokesman Josh Earnest described the deployment as part of “a broader regional effort to stop the spread of Boko Haram and other violent extremist organizations in West Africa,” reports Yahoo. It’s hard to square that explanation and the recent attacks with Nigeria’s assertion that Boko Haram is “a spent force.”
