At least 100 Boko Haram fighters were killed in an operation by military troops in northeastern Nigeria's state of Borno Friday, a senior military officer said.
Many others were seriously injured as the Nigerian troops combined air power and infantry activities to deal a heavy blow on some 200 insurgents, during a futile attempt to take over Konduga town, some 65 km from Maiduguri, capital of the restive northern state, Xinhua quoted a military officer from Nigeria's defence headquarters as saying in a terse statement.
"Most of the dead insurgents were mangled beyond recognition during the few hours of fury displayed by our men," the officer said.
According to the officer, air force jets and attack helicopters rained fire and brimstone on the invaders while ground troops picked some of the attackers attempting to flee the scene. However, few of the terrorists escaped in the only truck that maneuvered from the scene of the military operation, the source added.
Scores of weapons, including anti-aircraft guns mounted on trucks and Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs), were recovered by the military, following the annihilation of the insurgents.
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The military also seized an armoured personnel carrier (APC), several Hilux vehicles and motorcycles.
On Thursday, the defence headquarters had reassured citizens of the West African country of the safety of Maiduguri from all impending attacks by Boko Haram, a sect which has proved to be a major security threat in Nigeria.
Boko Haram, which claimed to have set up a caliphate in parts of Borno State last month, seeks to enshrine the Islamic Sharia law in the constitution of Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.
