Dozens of people died on Tuesday when two suicide bombers detonated their explosives at a mosque and a market in Mubi, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) by road from Yola in northeast Nigeria.

Abdullahi Yerima, police commissioner in Adamawa state, said a suicide bomber had struck at the mosque shortly after 1 p.m. (1200 UTC) and a second attacker detonated a device about 200 meters (660 feet) away as worshippers fled. Bomb squads and security personnel have cordoned off the scene.

Striking health workers returned to the hospital to attend to the victims. "We have evacuated dozens of dead and injured people to the hospital," Habu Saleh, who was volunteering in the aftermath of the explosion, told the news agency AFP. "And the rescue operation is still ongoing."

Read more: Fighting Boko Haram with bows and arrows

Boko Haram, which briefly held control of Mubi in 2014 as part of its nine-year insurgency, has repeatedly targeted the town with deadly attacks. The fighting has left more than 20,000 people dead and forced about 2 million to flee their homes nationwide. On Thursday, the group carried out an attack in Maiduguri, the capital of the neighboring Borno state, that killed four people.

On November 21, a suicide bomber killed at least 50 people in a mosque during early morning prayers in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi. In 2014, about 40 football supporters died in a bomb attack after a match in the Kabang area of the town. At least 40 people died in a 2012 attack on student housing in Mubi widely blamed on Boko Haram.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Traumatic experiences "You notice one thing straightaway - the children here hardly ever laugh," says a helper at Malkohi camp, close to the Nigerian city of Yola. The camp now accommodates almost 300 people who were liberated in early May from Boko Haram captivity. About half are under 18 years old. Every third child is malnourished.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Starting life in a refugee camp Lami Musa is the mother of probably the camp’s youngest resident. One day before she was rescued by soldiers, she gave birth to a baby girl. During the army’s liberation operation, several women were killed by the terrorists. "I just held my daughter tight and protected her with my body," the young mother said.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' A mother's loss Halima Hawu was less fortunate. One of her three children was run over and killed as they were being abducted by the terrorists. During the army operation, she was shot in the leg by a Nigerian soldier, as Boko Haram members used the women as human shields. "The pain is still there but perhaps the worst is now behind us," she hopes.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Not enough food for the children Three-year-old Babaka spent six months in capitivity. Food was provided irregularly. There was just some maize for the children every now and then, former captives say. When the soldiers came, the little boy was close to death from starvation. Babaka is still extremely weak. He has not yet received adequate medical care in the camp.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' A narrow escape Babaka’s mother was taken to the nearby hospital in Yola, together with about 20 other seriously injured people. Someone who had been in front of them as they fled trod on a landmine. The massive explosion badly injured the woman and killed a baby she was carrying.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Need for aid Apart from some donated clothing, little international aid has reached the women and children at Malkohi camp. Much is in short supply, especially medical personnel. There is no trace of the doctor who was supposed to be on duty. The provisional clinic is being run by just two nurses and a midwife.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Relying on voluntary aid "I don’t understand why our national emergency agency doesn’t do more," says social worker Turai Kadir (seen here). She acted on her own initiative and found a doctor to take care of the children worst affected by malnutrition. That is really the task of NEMA, the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency, but it is totally overwhelmed.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' 'Unbelievable strength' Regina Musa recently returned from the US to teach psychology at Yola University. Now she is helping provide psychological care for the women and children in the camp. "The women have demonstrated unbelievable strength," Musa said. During the traumatic period of captivity many cared for children who were not their own. "We have to help them understand how important that was." Author: Jan-Philipp Scholz / sh



mkg/rc (Reuters, AFP, AP)

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.