Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria kill dozens, includingchildren

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria -- Twenty- six people were killed in Nigeria' s northeastern Borno state byattackers on horseback believed to be rebels of the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, witnessessaid.

Ali Abdulqasim said his home village of Kolori and the neighboring village of Baana-imam wereattacked late Tuesday.

"I ran and hid atop a mango tree outside our village, from where I watched secretly how they chasedthe scampering villagers and shoot at them," Abdulqasim said Wednesday.

He spent the night in the tree and when he came down in the morning he saw many dead bodies, hesaid. "I counted almost a dozen (corpses), mostly the elderly and children," he said.

The death toll was 26, said Abbas Gava, a spokesman for a civilian defense group.

Boko Haram's six-year-old uprising has caused the deaths of an estimated 20,000 people.

More than 1,000 people have been killed sincePresident Muhammadu Buhari was elected in Marchwith a pledge to wipe out the militants. Nearly 2million have been driven from their homes by theuprising.

Some 75,000 refugees from Niger,Nigeria and Chad have been displacedfrom their homes in recent weeks dueto Boko Haram attacks in the LakeChad area, according to DoctorsWithout Borders. Nigerian authoritieshave warned that Boko Haram is tryingto extend its violence across thecountry including Lagos, the country'slargest city.

Earlier this year, troops from Chad andNigeria drove the extremists out ofsome 25 towns held for months in whathad been declared an Islamic caliphate.The displaced insurgents have returnedto hit-and-run tactics and suicidebombings.

Hundreds have been freed from BokoHaram captivity, but none of the 219

girls abducted in April 2014 from a school in Chibok were rescued. Last week marked the girls'500th day in captivity.

2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,rewritten, or redistributed.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/boko-haram-extremists-in-nigeria-kill-dozens-including-children/