#News: Boko Haram attacks key Nigeria city

[BBC]

 Boko Haram at a glance    

• Founded in 2002, initially focused on opposing Western education - Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language
• Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
• Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
• Abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls
• Controls several north-eastern towns
• Launched attacks on Cameroon

Soldiers without weapons

Who are Boko Haram?

Why Nigeria has not defeated Boko Haram

 President Jonathan visited Maiduguri on Saturday as part of his election campaign for polls in February.

It was his second visit in two weeks. Before these trips his last visit had been in March 2013.

On his visit on 16 January, he told some of the 5,000 refugees who fled recent Boko Haram violence: "I want to assure you that you will soon go back to your houses."

He pledged that "all the areas under the control of Boko Haram will soon be recaptured".

His visit came after UK-based human rights group Amnesty International released satellite images of towns attacked by Boko Haram, suggesting widespread destruction and a high death toll.

The pictures showed some 3,700 structures damaged or destroyed in Baga and neighbouring Doron Baga in the first week of the year, the human-rights group said.

Nigeria's government has disputed reports that as many as 2,000 were killed, putting the toll at just 150.

Satellite images of Doron Baga which were taken on 2 January, before the Boko Haram attacks, and afterwards on 7 January. The vegetation is shown in red    
Source: BBC