Nigeria says it killed 35 fighters in air strikes near border with Cameroon

Strikes are latest by the Nigerian subject arsenic it battles resurgence of attacks by equipped groups successful country’s northeast.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has killed astatine slightest 35 equipped fighters successful aerial strikes adjacent the country’s borderline with Cameroon, pursuing quality that an onslaught connected crushed troops was being planned.

The strikes were launched connected Saturday connected 4 targets successful the Kumshe country successful Borno State, adjacent the Nigeria-Cameroon border, said NAF spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame.

“Following the operation, connection was re-established with crushed troops, who confirmed that the concern astir their determination had been stabilised,” helium said.

The strikes are the latest by the Nigerian subject arsenic it battles a resurgence of attacks successful the country’s embattled northeast.

The portion faces predominant attacks from Boko Haram and its rival splinter group, ISIL (ISIS) West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Both ISWAP and Boko Haram person precocious ramped up their assaults connected the subject successful northeastern Nigeria, which, successful summation to Cameroon, besides borders Chad and Niger. Armed fighters person overrun subject bases, sidesplitting soldiers and seizing weapons.

While Nigeria’s 16-year-old equipped struggle has slowed since unit peaked astir 2015, attacks person picked up since the opening of the year.

According to the United Nations, the struggle has killed much than 35,000 civilians and forced much than 2 cardinal radical to fly their homes.

Last week, the US State Department approved the merchantability of $346m successful weapons, including bombs, rockets and munitions, to Nigeria, taxable to support by Congress.

The weapons would “improve Nigeria’s capableness to conscionable existent and aboriginal threats done operations against violent organizations”, the section said.