40 Boko Haram insurgents, 11 soldiers killed in fierce encounters

 

                   More than 40 Boko Haram insurgents have been killed in Borno State within the  last 72 hours in three fierce encounters with soldiers.
                  Eleven soldiers are believed to have lost their lives in the battles and another one at Shindig.
Three others are reported missing while 15 are receiving medical treatment.
Military sources said the figures were arrived at after mopping up operations in
Konduga, Damboa and Benisheik which was the scene of a brutal attack by Boko Haram a year this month. The figures could not be independently confirmed.
Benishek lies to the west of Maiduguri along the Damaturu road.
Terrorists have been trying to invade the state capital through that part and the eastern flank of the city.
About 150 residents were massacred by the insurgents during last year’s invasion.
Shedding light on the latest confrontations, a military source said splinter cells of the sect resorted to carrying out snap attacks on communities in the state.
The source said troops succeeded in beating back the terrorists in Konduga, Beneshiek and Damboa where they made a number of attempts between Thursday and Friday September 25-26, 2014.
“A multi barrel T55 tank, nine rifles, two Machine Guns, two Rocket Propelled Grenade tubes, five boxes of ammunition and other weapons were captured from them while over 40 of the terrorists died in the encounters in the three locations,” the source said.
“Troops also conducted a raid on terrorists’ enclave at Shindig.  In all the operations a total of 11 soldiers died while 15 others are being treated for injuries sustained in the battles. Three are still missing.
“The air and land operations are ongoing to clear the terrorists from other communities where their activities have become prevalent recently in the states under the state of emergency.”
Another military source said: “Stubborn, dare devil and ready-to-die terrorists continued to push against the military despite receiving heavy bashing in the last two weeks in North-Eastern Nigeria.
“During the period, many of their top commanders including the one pretending to be Shekau were eliminated.
“Nonetheless, splinter cells continue to confront the military but Nigerian troops vanquished them although with casualties on both sides.”
At press time, troops had succeeded in repelling the insurgents from Konduga.
A third source said: “These insurgents see the occupation of Konduga as a matter of life and death because of their plans to attack Maiduguri. But troops have successfully resisted them.
“We have fortified Konduga and Maiduguri. And efforts are on to curtail the insurgents in Gwoza, Bama and some parts of Adamawa State.”
Following last September’s invasion of Benishiek by Boko Haram, about 150 bodies were evacuated by the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA).
Many of the victims were residents of the town.
Fifteen trucks, 18 other vehicles, eight motorcycles and six bicycles were set ablaze by the sect members, who were said to have numbered about 300.
The terrorists also set ablaze about 150 houses, shops and made away with ten vehicles.