Nigeria Says Killed Several "Terrorists' İn Friday Clashes

The Nigerian military said that several "terrorists" were killed Friday in clashes with army troops in the insurgency-ravaged northeastern region.



"Troops on cordon-and-search along Djimitillo Damaturu road axis on Friday night had an encounter with a group of terrorists after their hideout was discovered by troops," defenSe spokesman Chris Olukolade said in a statement on Saturday.



"The fierce fight to dislodge them from the location which is very close to a market, resulted in the capture of machineguns and rifles as well as the death of some number of them," he said.



"Some of the terrorists are believed to have died in the fire that gutted the house where they had made their base. A soldier was killed while another was wounded and is undergoing treatment."



Olukolade said some other militants were also killed while attempting to burn down a bridge in Gulak, the headquarters of Madagali local government in northeastern Adamawa state.



"In Gulak, Adamawa State, troops in pursuit of terrorists caught up with some of them who were in the process of blowing up a bridge to deter troops advance," Olukolade said.



He said that the "terrorists" had been killed in the clashes.



"The troops are continuing with the cordon-and-search of the town and environs after overpowering the terrorists," Olukolade said.



"A lot of arms have been recovered in the process. Troops are also dismantling the terrorists group's flags hoisted in the towns."



Nigeria has upped the game against Boko Haram militants in recent weeks, with troops reclaiming towns and villages earlier captured by the insurgents.



Army and vigilante sources have spoken of the militants running away from areas where the troops have been conducting air and land raids, and the possibility of the insurgents targeting soft targets through suicide attacks.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Lagos