Borno, Nigeria, June 29 2024 — A series of suicide and serial bombings occurred in various locations in Borno state, Nigeria, on Saturday, claiming the lives of at least 18 people and injuring 42 others. The attacks targeted weddings, funerals, and hospitals, causing casualties that included women and children, as reported by the BBC.

The Borno state emergency department confirmed that suicide bombers struck a wedding ceremony, a funeral, and a hospital in the town of Gwoza. Local media sources suggest that the death toll could rise, with Nigeria's Vanguard and This Day newspapers reporting at least 30 fatalities. In response, the military has imposed a curfew in the city of Gwaja. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet.

Borno state has been plagued by violence from the militant group Boko Haram for 15 years. Their attacks have displaced over 2 million people and resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths. Boko Haram has been fighting to establish an Islamic state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009.

Violence has persisted in northern Nigeria, which has a population of over 20 million. Boko Haram has conducted numerous attacks in the past, often using female suicide bombers. In 2015, Nigerian forces expelled the militants from the city, but Boko Haram has continued to carry out attacks and kidnappings in the surrounding areas.