Nigerian military swears to retake town after massacre by Muslims

The Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram has continued its reign of terror, leaving dozens dead in the northeast Nigerian town of Damboa during a July 17 raid, Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reports.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The days-long raid displaced 15,000 residents, as scores of fighters armed with rocket-propelled grenades, explosives and guns.

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By the time the raid ended on Sunday, 66 residents had been killed, NEMA spokesman Abdulkadir Ibrahim said.

"We lost 46 people on Thursday through Friday in Damboa and the gunmen pursued people who fled to nearby Fori and Kwairi villages where they killed 20 more," said a spokesman for the local Damboa authority, Sheriff Muhammad.

After the raid, the Islamic group hoisted their trademark black flag over the ruins of the town, signifying that they had taken control of the town.

"Boko Haram have taken over Damboa where they erected their flags after the attack that forced all residents to flee," Mohammed continued.

Though the town still remains in the hands of Boko Haram, the Nigerian military has tried to assure residents that it will retake the town.

"We are not conceding any portion of this country to any terrorist group," said Major General Christ Olukolade, a Defense Ministry spokesman. "We are going to reverse every form of insecurity in that area very soon."

Previously, Boko Haram had launched a July 4 offensive action against Damboa's military base and police station which killed six soldiers and five policeman, Nigeria's defense ministry reported. The attack did leave 50 militants dead, which has led some-including resident Ahmed Buba-to believe that the group returned to exact revenge.

"We were defenseless because all the security personnel, including soldiers and policemen, have withdrawn," Buba said.

Boko Haram first roused international anger when it abducted 276 schoolgirls fron a Nigerian boarding school in the middle of April.

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