Two Nigerian soldiers killed by landmine in military operation

Two Nigerian soldiers were killed by a landmine buried by suspected Boko Haram members as troops recently advanced to clear terrorists' camps in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, an official statement said Friday.

Two other soldiers were also critically injured by the landmine encountered by troops in Guzamala district of Borno State, the statement signed by Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, spokesman of the army, said but did not say exactly when the incident occurred.

"The bodies of the two gallant soldiers have been evacuated, to the rear, while the other two wounded soldiers have also been evacuated and are receiving treatment at the military hospital," the military statement said, adding an armored personnel carrier was lost due to the buried landmine.

Despite the sad development, the statement said, troops are still pursuing the terrorists to their enclaves in Sambisa Forest, one of the largest training bases of Boko Haram in Borno State.

The ongoing operation to rout out terrorists from their hideouts is code-named "Lafiya Dole", a phrase that means "peace is necessary" when translated to English from the local Hausa language.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari last week ordered his newly-appointed army chiefs to end the six-year Boko Haram insurgency within three months.

The insurgency is said to have left more than 13,000 dead in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. Endit