At least 43 people were killed in northern Nigeria Wednesday in new clashes between security forces and an Islamic sect, raising the four-day death toll above 300, according to police.

As of Tuesday, more than 260 people had died in three of the four northern states where security forces are hunting down members of an anti-establishment fundamentalist sect that went on a violence spree since the weekend.

On Wednesday, fresh gunbattles in Yobe state left 43 dead, taking the global toll to more than 300.

"The 43 corpses are on their way to the police headquarters in Damaturu (state capital) in two police vans," said the source who demanded anonymity.