Chad, Niger Troops Eject Boko Haram From Nigerian Towns

Chadian soldiers walk in front of a building that Boko Haram insurgents used as their base before being driven out by the Chadian military in Dikwa

Troops from Chad and Niger have freed two towns in northern Nigeria which were previously held by Boko Haram militants, the first gains made in a joint offensive launched at the weekend, Niger military sources said on Monday. Reuters have more details:

About 30 Nigerien and Chadian soldiers were injured in fighting over Malam Fatouri and Damasak, a day after thousands of troops crossed the border to retake areas held by the Sunni Islamist group, whose insurgency has forced Nigeria to delay an election and neighbors to mobilize their armies.

“We have kicked the enemy out of these areas and they are now under our control,” one of the military sources said. Damasak, the town furthest into Nigeria, is 10 km (6 miles) south of the Niger border, where Niger and Chadian troops have been massing in recent weeks ahead of the offensive.

The source said that about 300 Boko Haram militants had been killed in fighting. There was no official confirmation of the toll and it was not possible to verify the figure. “We had permission from Nigeria for this action,” the source said. There was no immediate comment from Nigeria, which has launched its own offensive against the militants, whose gains forced Nigeria to delay elections that were due in February.