ABUJA, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops overpowered Boko Haram fighters in a fierce gunfight, killing a large number of the terrorists in the northeastern region of the country late Sunday, an army spokesman said on Monday.
A terrorist commander identified as Abu Nazir was among those neutralized by the troops, Sani Kukasheka Usman, spokesman of the Nigerian Army told Xinhua.
"The troops entered heavy Boko Haram terrorists' ambush, which they successfully cleared after about some minutes of the firefight," Usman said.
The gunfight ensued in Kala Balge local district of the northeastern state of Borno as troops embarked on clearance operation along that axis.
In addition to the recovery of weapons used by the terrorists, the Nigerian troops rescued nine abducted children undergoing training at a Boko Haram training camp in Jarawa village located in that district, Usman said.
"The minors have been evacuated and are being given preliminary humanitarian assistance in preparation to handing them over to Kala Balge internally displaced persons camp management committee," he added.
Boko Haram is blamed for thousands of deaths and displacement of 2.3 million people since 2009.
