LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) – Nigerian security forces freed 400 people Wednesday who had been held hostage by Boko Haram militants in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, the military announced Thursday.
Army spokesman Sani Usman said in a statement that troops also killed several militants while it freed the hostages, which included 24 children, 17 women and an old man in Chingurimi, Walasa and Masa villages.
The military had rescued 400 others in another part of Borno state in Mallum Maja Monday.
In another statement, the spokesman said militants launched an attack late Wednesday against Nigerian troops in the Izza axis of the Sambisa forest, which is considered as one of Boko Haram’s major foothold, resulting in a gun duel that lasted for 40 minutes.
“The terrorists came in five Toyota Hilux vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns which they fired along with 81mm mortar. The battle ready troops rose to the occasion and repelled the attack and pursued the terrorists that withdrew in disarray towards the river line of Izza-Mainyakare axis,” he said.
Usman said the encounter ended “without any casualty on our troops while an unconfirmed number of Boko Haram terrorists were killed. The troops also recovered an 81mm mortar tube from the terrorists.”
