ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least six soldiers and 34 Islamist militants have died in clashes in… Nigeria northeastern Borno state, the military said on Wednesday.
The rebels, riding motorcycles and gun trucks, launched a surprise attack on the soldiers, who resisted and engaged in a gun battle, Nigerian military spokesman Edward Buba said in a statement.
Borno has been the epicenter of extremist violence in Nigeria ever since Boko Haram An anti-terrorist group launched in 2009 to enforce the interpretation of Shariah law. The insurgency, which has spread to Nigeria's three neighbors in the Lake Chad region, has killed more than 35,000 people and displaced another 2.6 million.
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The latest attack took place on Sunday in Sabon Gari village in Damboa council area, a hot spot that has been largely abandoned by residents. “The insurgents had tried to surprise soldiers and take revenge against the recent killing of their commander and fighters by soldiers,” Buba said.
The attack was seen as a setback for the Nigerian military, which often says the rebels have been “reduced.” Despite such claims, deadly ambushes and suicide bombings have continued in the last year.
Ending the war has been challenging because of the lack of political will and the ability of the extremists to operate freely across the borders with Niger's northern neighbours, said Senator Iroegbu, a security analyst based in Abuja.
He said the military had also struggled to get “accurate and timely information about Boko Haram's movements and plans.”
Boko Haram gained international attention in April 2014 when it abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok town in Borno. Dozens of girls are still missing.
