File photo shows ammunitions recovered by the Nigerian army from Boko Haram militants in northeastern state of Borno, Nigeria, on Oct. 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Hamza Suleiman)
Nigerian troops have killed 73 Boko Haram militants including senior members of the sect in an operation in the restive northeastern state of Borno.
LAGOS, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops have killed 73 Boko Haram militants including senior members of the sect in an operation in the restive northeastern state of Borno, a military spokesperson said Wednesday.
In a statement sent to Xinhua, defense spokesperson John Enenche said the operation carried out last week led to the death of some high ranking commanders of Boko Haram alongside other militants.
Many others were also wounded with narrow chances of survival during the operation, Enenche said, noting that a large number of equipment of the militants including gun trucks, motorcycles and bicycles were destroyed by the troops.
The military operation follows a failed attack by the militants on a military base at Banki Junction in Borno, said Enenche.
Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009, extending its attacks to countries in the Lake Chad Basin, posing enormous security, humanitarian and governance challenges to countries including Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Niger. ■