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17 July 2015
- From the section Africa
At least nine people have died in explosions at prayers for the Muslim festival of Eid in the Nigerian town of Damaturu, the army says.
The two female suicide bombers included a 10-year-old girl, said Nigerian army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman.
An eyewitness told AFP news agency that there were two blasts at a venue where security volunteers were waiting for worshippers to turn up.
No group has said it carried the attack.
But Islamist militant group Boko Haram has stepped up its campaign of violence since President Muhammudu Buhari took office in May.
On Thursday, explosions targeting people shopping for Eid at a market in the north-eastern city of Gombe killed at least 49 people.
Boko Haram at a glance
- Founded in 2002, initially focused on opposing Western-style education – Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden” in the Hausa language
- Launched military operations in 2009
- Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria, abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls
- Joined Islamic State, now calls itself “West African province”
- Seized large area in north-east, where it declared caliphate
- Regional force has retaken most territory this year
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