Nigerian soldiers of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) stood guard in Mongno, Borno State, Nigeria, on July 5, 2025. /CFP
Nigeria's military said on Sunday it killed a senior Boko Haram commander and at least 10 other militants during a nighttime operation in the country's insurgency-affected northeast, dealing what it described as a significant blow to the group's leadership.
In a statement, the army identified the slain commander as Abu Khalid, Boko Haram's second-in-command in the Sambisa Forest, a long-time stronghold in Borno State.
"Abu Khalid was a key figure within the terrorist hierarchy, coordinating operations and logistics in the Sambisa Forest area," the army said.
The operation, carried out late Saturday, also led to the recovery of weapons and supplies, including five AK-47 rifles, magazines, bicycles, food items, and medical consumables. The military said none of its soldiers were killed or wounded during the raid.
The army added that clearance operations were continuing across several flashpoint areas in the northeast, including the Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains, targeting remaining Boko Haram fighters and members of its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Nigeria has been fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP for more than a decade in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across the wider Lake Chad region. Despite repeated military offensives, both groups continue to stage attacks on civilians, security forces, and neighboring countries, highlighting the ongoing challenge of restoring security in the region.
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