ALMOST 6,000 BOKO HARAM MILITANTS SURRENDER -NIGERIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY

Fri 03 September 2021:

The Nigerian armed forces claimed on Thursday that about 6,000 fighters from the Boko Haram insurgent organization in northeast Nigeria have surrendered in recent weeks, praising the military’s counter-insurgency efforts.

“More than 5,890 terrorists comprising foot soldiers, including commanders, have surrendered with their families to our troops in the North East Zone within the last few weeks,” the spokesman said.

Counterinsurgency operations conducted by the troops in northeastern Nigeria from August 12 – September 2 compelled terrorists to surrender, the spokesman said. The government forces also succeeded to capture militants’ equipment and ammunition as well as arrest their accomplices, he added.

Boko Haram is a rebel group based in northeastern Nigeria, including the Borno state. The organization is responsible for multiple terrorist attacks and kidnappings of school girls in the country.

Hundreds of Boko Haram fighters attacked a military post in southern Niger last week, killing 16 soldiers, according to the Niger defence ministry.

At least 26 Chadian soldiers were killed earlier in August by suspected Boko Haram attackers, according to the Chadian army.

Abubakar Shekau, the head of Boko Haram, died in May. He was fleeing a battle with ISWAP, according to ISWAP, and detonated an explosive device before being apprehended.

Observers were unsure what the long-term consequences of Shekau’s death would be. For control of land in northeast Nigeria and surrounding Lake Chad, the two groups had been fighting.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau (centre) appears in a video distributed by the militant group. Photograph: AP

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