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Nigerian gov't forces kill 15 Boko Haram fighters in air strike

Xinhua, June 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

An air strike launched by Nigerian government forces has killed a total of 15 Boko Haram fighters who were planning a violent attack in the restive northeastern state of Borno, military authorities said on Monday.

The terrorists, who had assembled in Kangarawa axis, located in the northern part of Borno State, were killed on Sunday in a strike launched by the air forces of government, said Ayodele Famuyiwa, spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force.

Famuyiwa told Xinhua the casualties figure was confirmed by ground forces who subsequently consolidated on the gains of the air effort to pursue and inflict further casualty on the fleeing members of the terrorist group.

"The latest victory against the Boko Haram terrorists brings to fore the important role of air-power in counter-insurgency operation," he said.

Boko Haram has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly in northeastern Nigeria, since it launched its campaign of violence in 2009. The Nigerian army and other local security agencies have made tremendous progress in the fight against the terror group in the past year, retaking most of the areas previously under insurgents' control. Endit