Strikes are newest by the Nigerian army because it battles resurgence of assaults by armed teams in nation’s northeast.
The Nigerian Air Pressure (NAF) says it has killed at the very least 35 armed fighters in air strikes close to the nation’s border with Cameroon, following intelligence that an assault on floor troops was being deliberate.
The strikes have been launched on Saturday on 4 targets within the Kumshe space in Borno State, close to the Nigeria-Cameroon border, mentioned NAF spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame.
“Following the operation, communication was re-established with floor troops, who confirmed that the scenario round their location had been stabilised,” he mentioned.
The strikes are the newest by the Nigerian army because it battles a resurgence of assaults within the nation’s embattled northeast.
The area faces frequent assaults from Boko Haram and its rival splinter group, ISIL (ISIS) West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Each ISWAP and Boko Haram have just lately ramped up their assaults on the army in northeastern Nigeria, which, along with Cameroon, additionally borders Chad and Niger. Armed fighters have overrun army bases, killing troopers and seizing weapons.
Whereas Nigeria’s 16-year-old armed battle has slowed since violence peaked round 2015, attacks have picked up for the reason that starting of the yr.
Based on the United Nations, the battle has killed greater than 35,000 civilians and compelled greater than 2 million individuals to flee their properties.
Final week, the US State Division accredited the sale of $346m in weapons, together with bombs, rockets and munitions, to Nigeria, topic to approval by Congress.
The weapons would “enhance Nigeria’s functionality to fulfill present and future threats by operations in opposition to terrorist organizations”, the division mentioned.
