Muslim-Christian clashes kill 460 in Nigerian city
Six military units and hundreds of police were stationed throughout Plateau state’s capital city in central Nigeria to enforce a 24-hour curfew Wednesday.
While the violence had subsided, streets were deserted and many businesses remained closed in Jos, which has been the scene of similar bloody sectarian clashes in recent years.
The relative calm has allowed mosque officials to retrieve more bodies from neighbourhoods just outside Jos.
“We found more than 200 bodies gathered at the mosque in Kuru Gada Biu and 22 more at Mai Adiko,†said Muhammad Tanko Shittu, a senior mosque official organising mass burials, who had earlier estimated the death toll among Muslims at 177.
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch put the number of Christian dead at 65.
Official police figures were significantly lower with 35 people dead, 40 injured and 168 arrested since Sunday.
“More troops have come in and the situation is now under control. But there are still many hoodlums dressed in fake police and military outfits causing havoc,†said Gregory Yenlong, spokesman for the Plateau state government.
Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, in his first use of executive power, ordered troops to Jos Tuesday to restore order and prevent a repetition of clashes in November 2008, when hundreds of residents were killed in the country’s worst sectarian fighting in years.
President Umaru Yar’Adua, who has been in hospital in Saudi Arabia for nearly two months, has been briefed on the situation, said junior information minister Ikra Bilbis.
This week’s violence erupted after an argument between Muslim and Christian neighbors over the rebuilding of homes destroyed in the 2008 clashes.
The fighting is unlikely to have a big impact on sub-Saharan Africa’s second biggest economy. Its oil industry is in the south and its banking sector mainly in the commercial capital Lagos.
BURNT BODIES
A Reuters correspondent saw three burnt bodies lying on the streets in Jos and several buildings, churches and cars destroyed by fire.
Armoured vehicles and soldiers patrolled the city, while residents ventured outside with their arms held up to signal they were unarmed.
The break in violence allowed mosque officials to retrieve dead bodies in the outskirts of the city, with 22 found in one nearby community, Shittu said.
The city’s main hospital, Jos University Teaching Hospital, was forced to turn away some patients late Tuesday because doctors were too overwhelmed. “Ninety percent of the casualties were from gunshot injuries with a few from knives and bows and arrows,†said Dr. Dabit Joseph, who works at the hospital.
The Red Cross has 40 staff workers and several volunteers at seven centres in Jos to help thousands of displaced residents, an agency spokesman said.
Nigeria has roughly equal numbers of Christians and Muslims, although traditional animist beliefs underpin many people’s faiths.
More than 200 ethnic groups generally live peacefully side-by-side in the West African country, although 1 million people were killed in a civil war between 1967 and 1970 and there have been outbreaks of religious unrest since then.
Jos has been the centre of several major religious clashes in Africa’s most populous nation.
The November 2008 clashes killed around 700 people, according to Human Rights Watch, while more than 1,000 Jos residents died in similar fighting in September 2001.
Africa
Tunisia says 23 migrants missing after setting off in boat to Italy
Scientists may have solved mystery behind Egypt's pyramids-PHOTO
Mosque attack leaves 11 Muslim worshippers dead in Northern Nigeria
FAO concerned about increasing use of pesticides
NEWS FEED
Iran asks EU for help in finding missing president
Türkiye monitoring developments in Iranian president's helicopter crash
President of Iran: "We were one of the first countries to explicitly state that Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan"
Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi: "The most important issue for us is the interests of our countries"
Manchester City win record fourth-successive Premier League title
President Ilham Aliyev, President Ebrahim Raisi attended commissioning ceremony of Khudafarin hydroelectric complex, opening ceremony of Giz Galasi hydroelectric complex-PHOTO-UPDATED-1
Search operation underway to find Iranian President's helicopter-VIDEO-UPDATED-1
Azerbaijan, as friendly and brotherly nation, is ready to provide all necessary support to Iran, says MFA
Azerbaijan ready to provide assistance regarding helicopter incident involving President of Iran - President Ilham Aliyev
Lives of Raisi, Iranian FM at risk after helicopter crash - Reuters
Several injured as passenger buses collide in Baku-PHOTO
Chairman of the Latvian Parliament visited Azerbaijan's Shusha
New page opens in Iranian-Azerbaijani relations - ambassador
Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi: Iran's relationship with Azerbaijan is more than a relationship with a neighbor
President Ilham Aliyev: Iran-Azerbaijan unity and friendship is unshakable
President of Azerbaijan: I do hope that Armenia contributes to regional cooperation, not damage it, by conducting the right policy
President of Azerbaijan: I do hope that Armenia contributes to regional cooperation, not damage it, by conducting the right policy
President: The interference of non-regional countries in our affairs is unacceptable
President Ilham Aliyev: We welcome Iran's support regarding peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia
President: Creation of “green energy” sources in Karabakh, East Zangezur, and Nakhchivan will benefit the entire region
President of Azerbaijan: We have major plans in the field of energy
President Ilham Aliyev: Iranian-Azerbaijani friendship and brotherhood are an important factor for the stability of the region
Interstate relations between Iran and Azerbaijan reached the highest
President Ilham Aliyev: The opening of the "Giz Galasi" hydroelectric complex and the commissioning of the “Khudafarin” hydroelectric complex are historic events
Speaker of Latvian Parliament arrives in Fuzuli-PHOTO
President of Iran: This is a very successful meeting for the two nations"
President Ilham Aliyev, President Ebrahim Raisi held meeting at Azerbaijani-Iranian border-PHOTO-UPDATED
Houthis attack tanker in Red Sea
House explosion in Türkiye injures seven
China, Tajikistan vow to elevate cooperation
Saudi crown prince, US national security adviser meet on Gaza, bilateral ties
New Caledonia 'under siege' from rioting, says capital's mayor
At least 10 UAVs suppressed in Krasnodar region — operational headquarters
Wildfires sweep across Finland, straining rescue services
Iraqi parliament fails to elect new speaker
Israel’s Gantz demands Gaza post-war plan, threatens to quit gov’t
Preparations for Putin’s visit to North Korea ongoing — Kremlin spokesman
Date for commissioning of first energy block in Akkuyu NPP announced
Russian flag burned in protest rally in Tbilisi
Slovak PM's condition forecasted to improve
Speaker of Latvian Saeima arrives in Azerbaijan for official visit-PHOTO
Bayer Leverkusen become first team to go through entire Bundesliga season undefeated
Assistant to Azerbaijani President discusses COP29, regional and international issues in USIP
Tunisia says 23 migrants missing after setting off in boat to Italy
Fifty dead in heavy rain, floods in central Afghanistan, official says
Booklet highlighting Karabakh University to be issued
Georgian president vetoes ‘foreign influence’ law
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended inauguration of Zangilan Mosque-UPDATED
First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva shared Instagram post on Zangilan trip
Türkiye's foreign minister to visit Pakistan for talks on regional, international issues