Nigerian forces kill 18 militants in renewed offensive in Borno

Nigeria's military said Wednesday that troops killed at least 18 Islamist militants and destroyed several insurgent hideouts during coordinated operations across Borno State, as security forces intensify efforts to weaken armed groups that have terrorized the northeast for nearly two decades.

According to military spokesperson Sani Uba, the operations targeted militant enclaves in the Timbuktu axis and the Bulabulin forest, areas long regarded as strongholds for Boko Haram and its splinter faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Eleven militants were killed in Bulabulin, and seven others in the Timbuktu area.

This latest operation is part of a broader military campaign aimed at dismantling insurgent supply routes and entrenched positions following a recent wave of attacks on military bases that left several Nigerian soldiers dead, including senior officers.

Air support played a central role in the operations, providing aerial surveillance and precision strikes on suspected militant positions, while follow-up missions were continuing to track fighters believed to have fled into surrounding forests.

For 17 years, northeastern Nigeria has been at the center of one of Africa;s deadliest insurgencies. The conflict, concentrated largely in Borno State, has killed thousands of people and displaced an estimated two million residents, deepening one of the continent’s most severe humanitarian crises.

Despite repeated military offensives, both Boko Haram and ISWAP have continued to launch attacks on villages, security installations and transport routes, underscoring the persistent volatility of the region.

Edited by CGTN Africa reporter Marion Gachuhi