Troops have killed four Boko Haram jihadists in a clearance operation, tagged “Operation Hard Strike” at villages in Borno State, the military authorities announced on Sunday.

The army spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, made the announcement in a statement sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Musa said that troops had cleared Surdewalla, Ranwa, Baladayo, Sabon Gari and Shetimeri villages, where the jihadists previously operated in.

He said that during the operation, a makeshift shelter, erected by the jihadists was destroyed by troops and that soldiers deployed at the Forward Operation Base in Gajigana, ambushed terrorists attempting to infiltrate the town.

“Unconfirmed number of terrorists were exterminated and two soldiers were wounded during the encounter. The soldiers are stable and currently receiving treatment in a military hospital,” he said.

Musa said that the army’s 177 Task Force Battalion in collaboration with Civilian JTF also cleared Mboa, Mboa-Kura, Yarchida, Bombula, Tshata and Bamzir villages.

He said that one AK 47 rifle, three magazines, 50 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and one magazine bandollier were recovered from the terrorists.

“There was no casualty on the troops or the Civilian JTF,’’ Musa stated.

He thanked people, who provided information that led to recent successes of the troops, pleading with the public to continue to report terrorists in their localities to army locations or other security agencies.

Boko Haram fighters have waged a decade long war on Nigeria in a bid to carve out some areas of the country to enforce strict Islamic code.

The war has claimed at least 28,000 people with millions forced to flee. (NAN)

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