Nigeria military says killed 37 Boko Haram Islamists in raid

Nigeria's military said today it killed 37 suspected Boko Haram fighters during a ground and air assault on an insurgent camp in the northeast, the epicentre of the Islamist group's four-year uprising.

"The operation which commenced yesterday involved a coordinated ground and air assault," said Captain Aliyu Danja, military spokesman in northeastern Borno state. "It was aimed at destroying the terrorists' camp...A total of 37 suspected Boko Haram militants were killed in (a) cross fire exchange," he added.

The military launched the attacks on suspected Boko Haram camp located in Alagarno in Borno state, the hotbed of the militants' insurgency, the spokesman said.
 

He said that arms and ammunition were recovered following the attacks.

Boko Haram motorcycle-riding gunmen dressed in military uniform on Sunday killed 19 people near the Nigerian border with Cameroon, residents and survivors said.

Violence by the group is estimated to have cost more than 3,600 lives, including killings by the security forces.