Nigeria Boko Haram: Twin blast kills dozens during Eid al-Fitr celebration in Damaturu
At least nine people have been killed in a twin blast in the Nigerian town of Damaturu, Yobe state, while Muslims were celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. However, a source close to IBTimes UK said the death toll reached 50.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicions are likely to fall on Boko Haram terrorists, who have been killed thousands of people in north-eastern Nigeria since 2009.
Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram terrorists?
Boko Haram (recently renamed Iswap) fights against Western influence in Nigeria and aims to impose its version of Sharia law in the country.
The group declared an Islamic caliphate in Gwoza, along the Cameroon border, in August 2014.
Boko Haram has raided several cities in the north of the country in a bid to take control of more land.
Three states − Adamawa, Borno and Yobe − have been under a state of emergency since May 2013, due to Boko Haram's attacks.
The group has killed more than 2,900 people since the beginning of 2015.
The group – renowned for kidnapping women and children and forcing them to carry out suicide attacks – has stepped up its attacks during the month of Ramadan, killing dozens of people.
The explosions – carried out by two women, one of whom was believed to be aged 10 –occurred in an area known as Layin Gwange and an open-air praying area known as Eid grounds.
The source who spoke to IBTimes UK said the explosions are not preventing Muslims from continuing to pray.
"We will not stop performing our religious obligation no matter what the intimidation," he said. "We will continue to pray Allah to bring peace back to our land."
The twin blast occurred hours after at least 30 people were killed as two bombs had went off in a marketplace in the Nigerian city of Gombe.
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