BORNO: Death toll from deadly ISWAP assault rises to 69

The death toll arising from the assault launched by heavily armed jihadists linked to the Islamic State group (known as ISWAP) on Felo village in Borno State has risen to 69.

This was revealed on Wednesday by security sources and residents in the area who informed that the terrorists shot and ran over residents in the village with vehicles in the assault on Tuesday.

According to an eyewitness who declined to be named, the death toll had risen from 59 to 69 after 10 more bodies were discovered in the countryside around the herding community.

“They actually killed 69 persons. More bodies were discovered scattered on the open expanse,” a senior military officer said.

Ibrahim Liman, a member of a government-backed anti-jihadist militia, gave the same overall figure.

READ ALSO: 11 ISWAP fighters surrender to Nigerian military in North East

“The bodies were strewn over a large area as the insurgents pursued their victims, shooting them and crushing them with their vehicles,” he said.

Also, a community leader who asked not to be named said the attackers had mowed down the 69 “men, and children” as they watched over their cattle at a watering hole outside the village.

“Our people were caught off guard by the gunmen who surrounded them,” the leader said.

“It is an open field with nowhere to hide. They couldn’t escape, they couldn’t outrun the vehicles,” he added.

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