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Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a video showing fighters torching the barracks and shouting triumphant slogans, while residents confirmed the town is now fully under militant control and completely deserted.
More than 5,000 people have fled across the border into Cameroon after Boko Haram militants captured the town of Kirawa in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno state. The region has seen escalation of a 16-year insurgency that has intensified throughout this year.
The assault, which began late Thursday, forced a chaotic exodus and saw key infrastructure targeted. District Head Abdulrahman Abubakar reported fleeing his palace, which was set on fire along with a military barracks and numerous homes.
Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a video showing fighters torching the barracks and shouting triumphant slogans, while residents confirmed the town is now fully under militant control and completely deserted.
The capture of Kirawa highlights a worrying trend of insurgent gains.This year, Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have stepped up attacks, seizing several army bases and communities in Borno state, only to be pushed back after the military deploys reinforcements. The attack follows a similar takeover of the border town of Banki in September.
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The violence has created a relentless stream of displaced persons, with residents fleeing either to Cameroon or to the relative safety of the state capital, Maiduguri.
