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At Least 50 Killed in Boko Haram Attack in Northeastern Nigeria

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A man walks past burnt out houses following an attack by Boko Haram in Dalori village 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Maiduguri, Nigeria, Jan. 31, 2016.
A man walks past burnt out houses following an attack by Boko Haram in Dalori village 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Maiduguri, Nigeria, Jan. 31, 2016.

Boko Harm militants attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 50 people.

Witnesses said Sunday the Islamic extremists stormed into Dalori, near Maiduguri, late Saturday night shooting people and burning down homes.

Dalori, near Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Dalori, near Maiduguri, Nigeria.

One soldier told The Associated Press three female suicide bombers blew themselves up among a crowd of people, causing more casualties.

Meanwhile, the human rights group Amnesty International said the reinstatement of a Nigerian general suspected of crimes against humanity shows what it calls a mockery of the Nigerian government pledge to investigate war crimes.

Major General Ahmadu Mohammed was reinstated in January, more than a year after he was retired form duty following a mutiny of his soldiers.

Amnesty said the general was in command of army operations when soldiers killed more than 640 unarmed suspects following a Boko Haram attack on an army barracks in Maiduguri.

Amnesty Secretary General Salil Shetty said it is "unthinkable" that Mohammed could be returned to duty even before the promised investigation began.

"Young men and boys, rounded up by the military were either shot, starved, suffocated or tortured to death, and no one has yet been held to account," Shetty said.

There has been no response so far from the Nigerian government.

Amnesty said senior Nigerian military commanders are responsible for the deaths of more than 8,000 detainees since 2011.

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