Iran Press/ Africa: The Nigerien Defense Ministry announced in a statement that more than 200 terrorists had been killed in airstrikes and a further 87 by ground troops since operations began on the Island of Lake Chad and along the Komadougou Yobe River on December 28.
The Lake Chad area is a strategic region where the borders of Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger converge. Komadougou Yobe River serves as a natural border between Niger and Nigeria, Press TV reported.
Region of Boko Haram activities
Niger’s army said it had lost no troops or equipment and had seized eight canoes and two rocket launchers as well as assault weapons, ammunition, and vehicles.
Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates as “Western education is forbidden,” pledged allegiance to the Takfiri ISIS group in 2015.
Boko Haram’s terrorist activity began in northeastern Nigeria from 2009 but has since spread into the neighboring countries of Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting a regional security crisis and therefore a cooperative military response against terrorist group.
Apart from targeting soldiers and civilians, the Takfiri terrorists have also been blamed for using kidnapping as a weapon of war, seizing thousands of women and young girls as well as men and young boys.
Boko Haram’s nine-year militancy is estimated to have killed more than 27,000 people and forced 1.8 million others to flee their homes, also triggering a humanitarian crisis in the region. 105/205
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