The Nigerian Red Cross said Monday that at least 187 people were killed, while another 77 were being treated for injuries. At least 300 homes were also set ablaze in the town which lies on the coast of Lake Chad.
Locals say the clashes began Friday when troops surrounded a mosque that allegedly was sheltering members of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram.
A shootout ensued, with militants using heavy weaponry, including rocket-propelled grenades. Soldiers and local officials say the militants used civilians as human shields, while residents say soldiers deliberately set fires during the attack.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday expressed "shock and sadness" at the high number of civilian casualties.
Authorities blame Boko Haram for dozens of deadly bombings and shootings in northern Nigeria since 2009. Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram-related violence has killed 3,000 people, a toll that includes killings by security forces.
I am guessing that the president's order is some kind of facade. He cannot deny knowledge of the Baga onslaught.
 |
| Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, center, visits injured victims of heavy fighting at a hospital in Baga, Nigeria, |
