Niamey, Armed forces in Niger launched

ground and air operations against the Boko Haram group in Lake Chad

basin in south-eastern Niger, killing more than 200 terrorists.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement broadcast on

television that the air strikes killed more than 200 terrorists while the

ground forces killed 87 others.

The statement added “This large-scale sweep operation,

launched on 28 December 2018″ centered along the Comadugu River

(the natural border between Niger and Nigeria) and “on the Lake Chad

islands”.

The ministry explained that the areas where the military

operations took place were mostly swamps where the Boko Haram

militants were hiding.

It said its troops “suffered no loss of life or equipment”. The

militants also suffered material losses including eight boats and three

vehicles.

The army confiscated weapons and ammunition, including two

machine guns, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPGs),

machine guns, two thousand caliber cartridges and mobile phones.

The attacks come less than a month after Niger Defense Minister

Kalla Mountari expressed his fear that the Boko group would launch

attacks against his country’s troops.

Source: Oman News Agency