60 militants killed in Nigerian army operation

A Nigerian army operation has killed at least 60 militants from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including one of the group’s top commanders.

The operation was carried out early Friday in several locations in the northeastern part of the country, according to AFP.

In a statement, the army said that they raided a Boko Haram base in Bita village, near the town of Gwoza in Borno State, close to the Cameroon border. During the "Bita" military operation, intense fighting took place, resulting in the deaths of at least 60 militants.

Airstrikes were also carried out on militant camps in Bita and Kareto villages in Abadam district, near the Niger border. Two intelligence sources confirmed the air attacks.

A few hours later, the army launched another operation at a Boko Haram base in Kukawa town, near Lake Chad. In that attack, the group’s top commander, Amir Abu Fatima, and his aides were killed. The army said he died after being seriously wounded in a gunfight.

Since 2009, Boko Haram and ISWAP have been involved in an armed insurgency in northeastern Nigeria. The conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions.