Gun battles in Nigeria leaves 187 dead

Heavy gun battles between Nigerian troops and suspected Islamist insurgents leaves 187 people and 77 injured. The bloodshed in the remote northeastern town of Borno state marks the single deadliest event in the insurgency by Boko Haram, the radical Islamist group blamed for scores of attacks in northern and central Nigeria since 2009.

Conflicting reports have emerged of the fighting that broke out Friday, but residents and officials have said the high death toll included soldiers, insurgents as well as civilians.
“So far 187 dead have been buried, while 77 are under admission in hospitals,” Red Cross Spokesman Nwakpa O. Nwakpa told AFP.
More than 300 houses on the shores of Lake Chad “were burnt down,” he added.
Another rescue official who did not want to be named said “40 percent of the town has been gutted by fire.”