Boko Haram battles Niger soldiers in overnight attack

People take part in a march to show their support for the Cameroon army fighting against Boko Haram militants in the city of Yaounde, Cameroon, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. Boko Haram staged an overnight assault on a border town in Niger, residents said Sunday, the second time the West African nation has come under attack by the Nigeria-based extremists since Friday. (AP Photo/Joel Kouam) People take part in a march to show their support for the Cameroon army fighting against Boko Haram militants in the city of Yaounde, Cameroon, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. Boko Haram staged an overnight assault on a border town in Niger, residents said Sunday, the second time the West African nation has come under attack by the Nigeria-based extremists since Friday. (AP Photo/Joel Kouam)

By Associated Press February 9, 2015 1 min read

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) – Residents say an Islamic militant group from Nigeria has attacked a town in the neighboring country of Niger for a third time in recent days.

Adam Boukarna, who runs a radio station in the town of Diffa, Niger, says gunfire echoed throughout the night as soldiers battled the militants.

Boko Haram has said it is now targeting Nigeria’s neighbors who have pledged to join the military effort to subdue the extremist group blamed for killing 10,000 civilians over the past year.

Boukarna said calm had returned to Diffa early Monday but only after hours of fighting.

Niger’s lawmakers are expected to vote Monday on a deployment of troops to fight Boko Haram. The terror group based in Nigeria also has launched assault on towns inside neighboring Cameroon.