Bodies are 'victims of Boko Haram'

Hundreds of bodies of alleged civilian victims of Boko Haram have been found in a recaptured Nigerian border town, according to witnesses.

Local government spokesman Babagana Mustapha said a committee sent to Damasak at the weekend found the town littered with bodies of women, children and some adult men.

He said the men appear to be Boko Haram fighters killed when troops from Niger and Chad reclaimed the town from Islamic extremists in March.

Mr Mustapha said that Chadian forces told him hundreds more bodies of insurgents remain in surrounding bush.

Local officials: Hundreds of decomposed corpses found in shallow graves in Nigerian town of Damasak this past weekend.http://t.co/uaw6Amdss8

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 28, 2015

Damasak is near the border with Niger and about 110 miles (180km) north-west of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Multinational forces have driven Boko Haram from most north-eastern towns in an offensive begun at the end of January.