#Other countries : About 100 jihadist fighters drowned in a river in northeast Nigeria as they tried to flee a military offensive, security sources and residents told AFP on Monday.
Overwhelmed, the fighters then threw themselves into the river in the hope of fleeing, but many drowned.
The Yezaram River is located in Borno State, near the Sambisa Forest, the main hideout of Boko Haram and the Islamic State group in West Africa (Iswap).
On Thursday and Friday, “more than 100 terrorists died, most of them by drowning while trying to cross the turbulent river”, said a high-ranking military officer.
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“Our soldiers pulverized the terrorists with air and ground attacks, forcing them to abandon their positions,” the officer added on condition of anonymity.
Four Nigerian soldiers died during the offensive, he said.
The soldiers, supported by Super Tucano planes and Alpha jets, carried out “mopping up operations in the villages of Busuwwa, Malum Fatari, Dagangari, Galtawa and Baram Kamaa”, said Bukar Grema, a member of an “anti -jihadist”.
“The majority of Boko Haram fighters drowned in the river and their bloated bodies were found floating on the surface on Saturday,” Grema added.
“More than 100 of them were recovered and buried by our men.”
Two residents confirmed his statements.
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Most of the bodies were found in Busuwwa, 15km from the Sambisa forest, Bunu Ibrahim, a resident, told AFP.
Nigerian Defense Minister Bashir Salihi Magashi told reporters on Monday that there had been massive ground and air operations against jihadists in the past week, but did not give a specific toll.
The conflict that started 13 years ago in northeast Nigeria between the authorities and jihadists has claimed the lives of 40,000 people and forced two million others to flee their homes, according to the UN.