Right before the weekend, the Nigerian military reportedly forced the Islamist extremists Boko Haram out of the northeastern town of Konduga, killing hundreds, according to various reports.
RELATED: Breaking: Boko Haram Surrounds Borno State Capital
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On Friday morning, the Nigerian military reportedly engaged in fierce battle with the terrorists about 22 miles away from Borno capital Maiduguri.
According to the Guardian, the military were able to slay about 200 insurgents. Among the reported dead is “feared commander” Amir, a suicide bomber, and a video journalist.
Nigerian troops routed the Boko Haram fighters on Friday morning “after three hours of fierce fighting,” army spokesman Timothy Antigha said in a statement.
According to officials, the victory was a much-needed victory and morale booster for the military who have allegedly suffered from being both unmanned and outgunned by Boko Haram.
About month ago, about 50 soldiers reportedly mutinied due to the aforementioned inferior arms issue.
At the time, Face2Face Africa reported:
Of the soldiers’ situation, the unnamed soldier reportedly said that with the lack of firearms and appropriate resources, soldiers are just being sent off to die, “Soldiers are dying like fowl,” he said.
The soldier says that there are at least 40 more reportedly stationed just outside Maiduguri who have decided not to fight. He added, “The Nigerian army is not ready to fight Boko Haram. Boko Haram are inside the bush, everywhere,” he said. “They [senior commanders] are sacrificing soldiers.”
In order to continue to get the public behind the troops as well as increase the soldiers’ morale, officials have started the hashtag #VictoryforNigeria.
This win comes on the heels of traditional elder group Borno Elders Forum (BEF) released a statement last Thursday that Maiduguri, which is home to more than 2 million people and a new home to many civilians fleeing Boko Haram, was completely surrounded by the terrorists.
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