Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Nigeria forces say kill 16 Boko Haram Islamic terrorists in fire fight

Nice.
MAIDUGURI (Reuters) - Nigerian forces shot dead 16 suspected militants in a fire fight with Islamist sect Boko Haram on Tuesday, the military said.

A Reuters reporter heard gunfire and explosions echoing through the remote city of Maiduguri, in Nigeria's dry, dusty northeast. [...]

"Some suspected Boko Haram terrorists attempted to open fire on (security) operatives but could not succeed. We have so far shot dead 16 of the terrorists during a shoot out," field operations officer for northeastern Borno state, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, told Reuters by telephone.

He said Nigerian forces had seized weapons and ammunition from the suspects and destroyed some of their home-made bombs in controlled explosions.

"We were able to achieve this feat based on information from the public," he said. "There were no casualties on our side".

There was no immediate comment from Boko Haram.

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