Nigerian Army repels Boko Haram attack near Niger border
Nigerian Army reports it has repelled Boko Haram attack in Damasak town, near border with Niger
Nigerian special forces prepare to fight Boko Haram in Diffa, March 26, 2015. The country's army has reportedly severed Boko Haram's access to arms suppliers, forcing the insurgents to resort to less sophisticated weaponry.
The Nigerian Army repelled a Boko Haram attack on Monday near the border with Niger in the militant group's northeastern stronghold, the military has said.
The militant group, which swore allegiance to DAESH, has been carrying out deadly attacks in the region since 2009, killing thousands of people and causing more than 2.5 million to flee their homes.
The militants were pushed out by Nigerian troops as they were moving to the border town of Damasak where they wanted to set up a permanent base, a military souce said.
Despite taking the area back from Boko Haram last year, the army is still having trouble maintaining control there.
"The Nigerian troops have successfully repelled an attack by Boko Haram terrorists who attempted an incursion into (the) 113 Battalion," army spokesman Sani Usman said in a statement issued by PR Nigeria, an outlet which releases government statements.
"So far our troops had two officers and 22 soldiers wounded in action," he said.
No detailed information was given about the incident which took place in area which is largely uncovered by mobile phone networks.
Boko Haram took control an area nearly the size of Belgium in Nigeria at the begining of the last year, but the group was later pushed out by Nigerian troops along with regional forces that were re-activated last year by neighbouring Lake Chad countries.
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