MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Sept 16 (Reuters) – Nigerian troops have killed at least 11 fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province in two separate operations in its northeast, the military said on Tuesday, part of efforts to dismantle insurgent networks in the region.
The encounters were on September 15 along the Baga–Cross Kauwa road in Borno State and in Umbo, Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, according to a statement from the joint task force leading counter-terrorism efforts in the northeast.
In the first incident, troops on patrol near Garin Giwa in Kukawa Local Government Area were ambushed by ISWAP fighters who detonated an improvised explosive device and opened fire.
The soldiers repelled the attack, killing eight militants, including two senior field commanders. Troops recovered 14 motorcycles, assault rifles, ammunition, and other logistics items, the military said.
In a separate operation in Adamawa State, troops supported by local vigilantes and hunters killed three more militants and seized weapons and communication equipment.
No casualties were reported among Nigerian forces in either operation.
The military said the operations were part of a broader campaign to degrade insurgent capabilities and restore peace to communities affected by years of violence.
Nigeria has been battling Boko Haram and its splinter group ISWAP for over a decade in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions across the Lake Chad region.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Suggested Topics:
Read Next
Gregory Bovino, a top U.S. Border Patrol official, said his team made arrests in Chicago on Tuesday as part of an operation targeting immigrants in the U.S. illegally with criminal records.
Site Index
About Reuters
Stay Informed
Information you can trust
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world’s media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.
