Takfiri Boko Haram terrorists have launched a fresh attack on Nigeria's key northeastern city of Maiduguri in a bid to take control of the strategically crucial Borno state capital.

According to witnesses, the militants stormed the city at around 3:00 a.m. (0200 GMT) on Sunday, engaging in a fierce battle with government troops for several hours.

“The whole city is in fear,” said resident Adam Krenuwa, adding, “People are afraid of what will happen if Boko Haram defeats the security forces.”

The fighting is reportedly underway at the southern edge of the city between the Takfiris and troops supported by volunteer forces.

The militants tried to capture the city on January 25 in an assault which was thwarted by the Nigerian army. However, they managed to seize the town of Monguno, located 125 kilometers (80 miles) outside the city, and took control of a military base.

Meanwhile, resident Fannami Dalwaye noted that the clashes at roughly 9:00 a.m. was centered in Mulai, that is near south of the city. “People are fleeing into the city,” Dalwaye said.

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden,” says its goal is to overthrow the Nigerian government.

The terrorist group has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly shooting attacks and bombings in various parts of Nigeria since the beginning of its operations in 2009, which have claimed lives of thousands of people.

According to the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations, the violence fueled by Boko Haram Takfiris forced 1.5 million people to flee their homes and killed over 10,000 people in 2014 alone.

The African Union (AU) has endorsed a plan to create a joint regional task force with the aim of fighting the Takfiri group.

Iran has also voiced its readiness to cooperate with the AU in the fight against Boko Haram.