UN alarmed by violence in Nigeria

Both parties to the conflict in northern Nigeria may be responsible for human rights violations following weekend Boko Haram attacks, a U.N. envoy said Tuesday. The United Nations estimates at least 30 people were killed when their wedding convoy was attacked allegedly by members of Boko Haram in northern Borno state. Cecile Pouilly, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the "atrocious attack" was inexcusable. Both sides of the conflict are suspected of committing human rights violations. She warned members of Boko Haram could face human rights charges. Nigerian authorities are also suspected of abuses in their response to the weekend attacks. The human rights commission reported four soldiers were killed in the violence. Boko Haram is a militant Islamist group that's suspected of carrying out numerous terrorist attacks and waging a guerrilla campaign against the Nigerian government. The Nigerian government imposed a summer curfew over parts of northern Nigeria in response to the group's campaign. Amnesty International said last month as many as 1,000 suspected Boko Haram members died this year in Nigerian prison camps. Some of the prisoners were reportedly shot and killed during interrogations. Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI). Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.