The Nigerian military said on Wednesday its troops had killed 34 Islamist militants in a gun battle in northeastern Borno state, while six soldiers had also died.
According to Major-General Edward Buba, Nigeria military spokesman, the clash took place on Saturday in Sabon Gari village when the militants ambushed troops returning to a military base.
The militants belonged to the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) groups, he said. They were riding on motorcycles and trucks mounted with guns.
The troops, along with reinforcements from the Civilian Joint Taskforce militia and vigilante groups, successfully repelled the attack, he said.
Nigeria has been grappling with a 16-year-long Islamist insurgency in its northeast driven primarily by Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP that has led to huge human and economic losses, including mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis.
Borno has been the center of extremist violence in Nigeria since the Boko Haram extremist group launched an insurgency in 2009 to enforce their interpretation of Shariah law.
The insurgency, which has spilled over to Nigeria’s three neighboring state in the Lake Chad region, has killed more than 35,000 people and displaced 2.6 million others.
Buba said six soldier were killed in the action while an improvised explosive device (IED) injured the vigilante commander. The Nigerian Air Force also carried out airstrikes on the fleeing insurgents, resulting in further casualties in addition to the 34 killed in the gun battle, Buba said.
Six soldier were killed in the action
The terrorists were riding on motorcycles and trucks mounted with guns
The latest attack occurred Sunday in Sabon Gari village in the Damboa council area, a hot spot that has been mostly deserted by residents. “The terrorists had attempted to surprise troops and retaliate against the recent killing of their commander and combatants by troops,” Buba said.
The attack was seen as a setback for the Nigerian military, which often claims the rebels have been “degraded.” Despite such claims, deadly ambushes and suicide bombings have continued in the last year.
Ending the war has been challenging because of a lack of political will and the ability of the extremists to operate freely across the borders with Nigeira´s northern neighbors.
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