Boko Haram carried out one of its deadliest attacks yet earlier this month, on the Nigerian town of Baga. It is difficult to verify the number of people killed but one woman who survived the attacks has told the BBC Hausa service about life in the town. She managed to escape from Baga and has asked to remain unnamed.
"Boko Haram fighters are currently in control of the town. When they attacked, they destroyed shops and burnt down our houses.
There are lots of bodies scattered on the street and some have started decomposing.
The militants gathered the old men who could not leave the town and some strong women and forced them to bury the corpses because of the stench - I saw all of this.
Under control
Many of the women could not escape during the attack and we were all brought with the old men to the palace of the traditional ruler.
I spent a week there.
In the mornings and evenings the insurgents would gather the women together and preach to them.
- Founded in 2002, initially focused on opposing Western education - Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language
- Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
- Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
- Abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls
- Controls several north-eastern towns
- Launched attacks on Cameroon
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