LAGOS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- At least nine Boko Haram militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Nigeria's restive northeast state of Borno, said an army source Wednesday.
In a statement reaching Xinhua, Mohammed Yerima, an army spokesperson, said troops of Operation Hadin Kai killed nine Boko Haram militants as they attempted to attack the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno capital, Tuesday.
Yerima said the militants tried to advance from the Aldawari axis to attack soft targets in Jiddari Polo but were repelled by combined troops of the army, police, vigilantes and hunters.
"Following a hot pursuit by troops, the heavy casualty was inflicted on the terrorists as nine of them were neutralized while many escaped with gunshot wounds," he said.
One gun truck, three motorcycles, three machine guns, a rocket-propelled gun, and four AK-47 rifles were recovered from the militants, he said.
Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. The terror group has also extended its attacks to other countries in the Lake Chad Basin. Enditem
