50,000 fled attack of Boko Haram in Niger

                        

A total of 50,000 people have fled a running attack last week by the extremist group Boko Haram in Bosso, southeastern Niger, said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Witnesses said the group still occupy the city, despite the Nigerien government has stated on Monday that Bosso was totally under control. Could not contact directly with residents of the city.

"We estimate that 50,000 people have fled the Friday attack, most of them on foot to the town of Toumour 30 km west of Bosso," said UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards.

These people have no accommodation and need help, she explained the spokesman.

Other people follow to Diffa 140 km west of Bosso, or Kabelawa to the north, where there is a camp that can house up to 10,000 people and is almost complete.

The attack in Bosso was one of the deadliest carried out by Boko Haram in Niger since the country went to war against Islamist insurgents Nigerians in February 2015.

According to the authorities, the attack left 26 dead and 55 of the ruling side among the members of Boko Haram.