In a shocking incident, at least 18 people were killed as 48 others sustained injuries in bomb blasts in Nigeria's northeast Borno state, CNN reported, citing the state's emergency services. The first blast occurred around 3 pm local time on Saturday during a wedding ceremony. This was followed by another explosion at General Hospital Gwoza and a third blast at a funeral.
Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Director General Barkindo Muhammad Saidu visited the site of the incidents in Gwoza Town to assess the situation and oversee the emergency response efforts.
According to Borno State Emergency Management Agency-SEMA, men, women and children were among the deceased, the report said. No further details were provided regarding the incident.
21 soldiers killed in ambush by 'terrorist group in Nigeria
Earlier on June 25, at least 21 Nigerien soldiers were killed in an ambush by a “terrorist group” near the country's border with Burkina Faso. Notably, Niger is struggling with a deadly security crisis involving several armed groups. Last week, the rebel Patriotic Liberation Front attacked a China-backed pipeline and threatened more attacks if the $400 million deal with China isn't cancelled. The group, led by Salah Mahmoud, a former rebel leader, took up arms after the junta staged a coup last year ousting a democratically elected government.
Niger and neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso are also battling movements linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State extremist group in a decade-long conflict in the Sahel region that is worsening. The violence killed thousands of people last year, and more than 2 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations.
(With inputs from agencies)
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