Africa
6 February 2015
Last updated at 16:30 ET
Soldiers from Chad patrol the border of Nigeria and Cameroon to defend against Boko Haram
The group reportedly killed at least 70 people in an attack on the town of Fotokol in Cameroon on Wednesday.
The Boko Haram insurgency has left thousands dead and displaced more than a million over the past six years.
The militants control a large stretch of land in north-eastern Nigeria.
Its neighbours have promised to send troops to help it fight the militants, who are now attacking those countries.
Islamists pushed back
Boko Haram militants reportedly attacked Bosso early in the
morning with heavy weapons, causing residents to flee and or hide
indoors.
One resident told Agence France-Presse news agency: "We can hear the sound of weapons all around the town, often very near our windows.
"There is the noise of heavy weapons and of light arms, making our houses shake."
Niger later said it had successfully pushed back the militants, killing 109. The country's defence minister, Mahamadou Karidjo, said four soldiers and a civilian were also killed.
Bosso lies just across the border from Nigeria's Borno state, one of the areas worst affected by Islamist violence.
Nigeria's Boko Haram has attacked towns in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger in recent days
The town is home to thousands of Nigerian refugees who have fled Boko Haram.
The militant group, which has sworn allegiance to Islamic State and desires its own caliphate in Nigeria, has killed thousands and displaced millions in the country's north-east.
It is now threatening Chad, Niger and Cameroon, prompting Chad to deploy 2,500 troops to border areas including Bosso.
Chad sent troops to Cameroon last month to join the offensive against Boko Haram, following widespread criticism of the Nigerian army's failure to curb the insurgency.
by Rashida Adjani and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, N'Djamena, Chad
Soldiers from Chad patrol the border of Nigeria and Cameroon to defend against Boko Haram
The Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram has attacked a town in Niger for the first time, witnesses say.
Niger's government said it killed more than 100 of the group's fighters as it repulsed the attack on the border town of Bosso. The group reportedly killed at least 70 people in an attack on the town of Fotokol in Cameroon on Wednesday.
The Boko Haram insurgency has left thousands dead and displaced more than a million over the past six years.
The militants control a large stretch of land in north-eastern Nigeria.
Its neighbours have promised to send troops to help it fight the militants, who are now attacking those countries.
One resident told Agence France-Presse news agency: "We can hear the sound of weapons all around the town, often very near our windows.
"There is the noise of heavy weapons and of light arms, making our houses shake."
Niger later said it had successfully pushed back the militants, killing 109. The country's defence minister, Mahamadou Karidjo, said four soldiers and a civilian were also killed.
Bosso lies just across the border from Nigeria's Borno state, one of the areas worst affected by Islamist violence.
Nigeria's Boko Haram has attacked towns in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger in recent days
The militant group, which has sworn allegiance to Islamic State and desires its own caliphate in Nigeria, has killed thousands and displaced millions in the country's north-east.
It is now threatening Chad, Niger and Cameroon, prompting Chad to deploy 2,500 troops to border areas including Bosso.
Chad sent troops to Cameroon last month to join the offensive against Boko Haram, following widespread criticism of the Nigerian army's failure to curb the insurgency.
Boko Haram
Analysis
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West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy speaks to survivors of the Boko Haram attack on Baga to piece together what happened.
Behind Baga massacre
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Is army failing?
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Why is Boko Haram so strong?
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Who are Boko Haram?
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'Raping our daughters'
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Soldiers without weapons
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Regional threat
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Finding the truth
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Escape from Boko Haram
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Battle to free the girls
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'I saw my parents killed'
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City under siege
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Girl bombers
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Deadliest phase
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Shadowy leader
From other news sites
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PR Web via Yahoo! '109 Boko Haram fighters dead' after first attack on Niger 31 mins ago
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Reuters UK UPDATE 1-Nigeria's Boko Haram has up to 6,000 hardcore militants -U.S. officials 44 mins ago
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Telegraph More than 100 Boko Haram fighters killed after first attack on Niger 46 mins ago
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Mail Online UK Nigeria's Boko Haram has up to 6,000 hardcore militants -U.S. officials 57 mins ago
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NDTV Boko Haram Attacks Niger For First Time 5 hrs ago
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