Nigerian military says at least 128 Boko Haram militants killed

The Nigerian military on Thursday confirmed at least 128 Boko Haram militants have been killed in separate operations held this month in the country’s northeast region.

Military spokesman John Enenche told the media in Abuja that the operations held in collaboration with other security agencies have continued to destroy the terror group which launched attacks in Nigeria since 2009.

Enenche said the military operations ranged from aggressive clearance operations to comprehensive precision airstrikes and air interdictions, including artillery and aerial bombardments on terrorists’ enclaves.

In one of the operations, some 17 members of the Boko Haram group were killed, said the military spokesman, adding several of them escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds. He did not give the exact date of the operation.

Enenche said in some other operations, airstrikes by the military further killed at least 111 Boko Haram elements, including 15 of their high-ranking commanders.

In some operations, he said structures, including a logistics base of the terror group, were destroyed.

“However, in one of the encounters, three of our own troops paid the supreme prize. In the meantime, other injured troops are recuperating at one of our medical facilities. Nonetheless, calm has been restored to the affected communities,” Enenche added.

Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria, extending its attacks to countries in the Lake Chad Basin.