Three suicide bombers attacked markets towns on the shores of Lake Chad, killing at least 30 and injuring 80 others Saturday, according to news reports. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. But the region is a target of Islamist militant group Boko Haram from Nigeria. A state of emergency was declared last month after in the Lake Chad region after raids and suicide bombings there by Boko Haram. The attacks increased after Chad helped to force Boko Haram to give up territory earlier this year. Chad weakened Boko Haram's six-year effort to create a Nigerian caliphate, or extreme Islamic government. The bombers struck on the island of Koulfoua on the Chad side of Lake Chad, Reuters reports. The attacks coincided with market day and the death toll may rise. Half of terrorist killings carried out in 2014 were carried out by Boko Haram and Islamic State terrorist groups, sources said. Boko Haram killed more people than their fellow Islamists, claiming 6,644 lives, compared to 6,073 by the other group. They are based in Nigeria, but are also active in Chad, Niger and Cameroon. In Lebanon, a suspected Islamist militant killed himself and two members of his family in northern Lebanon on Saturday. Reuters reported that he blew himself up during an army raid on his home. Audio will be added to this story at a later time. Kathleen Struck adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Please leave a comment or post to our Facebook page.
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