Nigeria’s army has killed 35 jihadists in a sequence of air strikes close to its north-eastern border with Cameroon, it mentioned in a press release.
The strikes had been carried out in 4 areas to thwart an try by the jihadists to assault floor troops, the army added.
Nigeria has been battling jihadist teams for greater than a decade, in addition to violent prison gangs, sectarian battle and widespread kidnappings for ransom.
On Saturday, a bunch of outstanding Nigerians, together with ex-government ministers, enterprise individuals and civil society activists, issued a press release, elevating concern that elements of Nigeria had been enduring “war-time ranges of slaughter”, whereas the nation was formally at peace.
The group cited a report launched in Might by rights group Amnesty Worldwide, which mentioned that at the very least 10,217 folks had been killed since President Bola Tinubu took workplace two years in the past.
It referred to as for the formation of a Presidential Job Drive with wide-ranging powers to finish the quite a few conflicts – together with the resurgence of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram and the breakaway Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) within the north-east.
Final week, the military reported killing practically 600 militants in eight months within the area. There is no such thing as a impartial affirmation of the declare.
The Nigerian Air Drive mentioned it will proceed to offer air cowl to floor troops dismantling jihadist bases within the north-east.
Greater than 35,000 folks have been killed and two million displaced within the battle, in accordance with the UN.
The Institute for Safety Research think-tank mentioned that at the very least 15 jihadist assaults had been recorded thus far this yr in areas close to Nigeria’s border with Cameroon and Niger.
The jihadists had been utilizing modified business drones to strike at military bases, and had been making it troublesome for the army to ship reinforcements, it added.
Earlier this month, the US State Division authorized the sale of weapons value $346m (£256m) to Nigeria.
Extra BBC tales on Nigeria:
[Getty Images/BBC]
Go to BBCAfrica.com for extra information from the African continent.
Comply with us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Fb at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
BBC Africa podcasts
