Joint West African force says more than 100 insurgents killed in recent weeks
(Fixes formatting of byline)
By Lanre Ola
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – A joint army drive from Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon stated on Sunday it had killed greater than 100 Islamist insurgents, together with 10 commanders, previously few weeks, because it intensifies a floor and air offensive within the Lake Chad area.
Boko Haram fighters and its splinter Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group have for greater than a decade battled the Nigerian military in a battle that has sucked in neighbouring states.
Multinational Joint Activity Power spokesman Colonel Muhammad Dole stated troops had ventured deep into enclaves managed by insurgents within the Lake Chad space and recovered a number of weapons, meals and illicit medication.
“Inside the interval of this operation, nicely over 100 terrorists have been neutralised, together with over 10 high commanders … following intelligence-driven deadly air strikes within the Lake Chad islands by the mixed air task-forces,” Dole stated.
Dole didn’t give the interval coated by the operation or variety of troops killed however stated 18 troopers had been injured by improvised explosive gadgets planted by retreating insurgents.
The Islamist insurgency is concentrated within the northeast of Nigeria and has left hundreds useless whereas driving thousands and thousands from their houses into camps for internally displaced individuals.
Nigeria acquired a lift after the US final week permitted an almost $1 billion weapons sale. U.S. lawmakers had put a maintain on the deal over issues about doable human rights abuses by the Nigerian authorities.
Boko Haram has been on the again foot for the reason that dying of its chief, Abubakar Shekau, final 12 months in Might throughout a battle with rival ISWAP. Nigeria says hundreds of Boko Haram fighters and their households have surrendered since final 12 months.
(Modifying by MacDonald Dzirutwe and Nick Macfie)
