1 Apr 2013

15 killed in Nigerian military raid

7:22 am on 1 April 2013

Soldiers have raided a suspected hideout for Islamist extremist group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria's largest city of Kano, sparking a clash that left 15 people dead.

Nigeria's military claims those killed include 14 Islamists and one soldier, and say the extremists were planning an Easter day attack in the city.

Residents reported hearing gunfire and explosions early on Sunday as soldiers battled the Islamists. However, there is no independent confirmation of what happened.

Casualty information from Nigeria's military has often been unreliable, with the army under pressure to show progress in the fight against Boko Haram, AFP reports.

Nigeria has in the past seen major attacks on Christian holidays blamed on Boko Haram. A bombing in the northern city of Kaduna on Easter last year killed 41 people.

Violence linked to Boko Haram's insurgency has left some 3000 people dead since 2009, including killings by security forces.

The group's deadliest attack yet happened in Kano in January 2012, when co-ordinated bombings and shootings killed at least 185 people.