Hundreds flee Nigeria clashes
18/04/2007 13:47  - (SA)  

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Kano - Nigerian soldiers on Wednesday clashed with members of an Islamic fundamentalist group that killed 12 police and a civilian the previous day in the northern city of Kano.

"The insurgents were supposed to be dislodged from their enclave this morning by a combined team of soldiers and police. They are right now doing that," federal police spokesperson Haz Iwendi told AFP.

Iwendi could not confirm any casualties from the operation, although at least one witness spoke of seeing the bodies of three soldiers.

AFP saw some 500 residents fleeing the fighting.

"The entire place is under troops' bombardment. That is why we have to flee," a resident told AFP.

Members of the Islamist group, comprised of men and women wearing red turbans and scarves, attacked a suburban police post in broad daylight on Tuesday, killing the station chief, his wife and 11 officers.

The attack came despite attempts by the authorities to step up security following weekend violence across Nigeria that claimed 21 lives in the wake of regional elections.

Presidential elections are due to be held on Saturday.

The assailants briefly occupied the police station before escaping into a nearby abandoned building.

Last Friday assailants shot and killed a radical Muslim cleric and two of his followers in a mosque in a Kano suburb.

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