The United Nations said on Saturday that two civilians including a five-year-old child were killed and an aid helicopter damaged in a jihadist attack in restive northeast Nigeria.
Boko Haram fighters launched the attack in the town of Damasak on Thursday.
The area around Damasak on the border with Niger is mostly dominated by the Islamic State West Africa Province, which broke away from jihadist group Boko Haram in 2016.
According to Edward Kallon, UN humanitarian coordinator, both the fatalities and several others who were injured in the attack were on the ground.
Kallon said,
“A UN Humanitarian Air Service helicopter was hit by bullets during the attack. No aid workers were on board at the time and crew members are all safe.”
Despite the fact that Nigerian military repeatedly insists it has largely defeated the insurgents, key roads remain too dangerous to travel.
The UN has complained of an increase in attacks targeting aid workers in the northeast of the country.
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