(MENAFN) Over 60 insurgents, including a top Boko Haram commander, were reportedly killed during recent military operations in northeastern Nigeria, a region plagued by extremist violence since 2009.

On Friday, Nigerian forces launched two coordinated offensives targeting camps belonging to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). According to reports, these strikes—carried out both from the air and on the ground—resulted in heavy militant casualties.

One of the raids occurred in Bita village, situated near Gwoza in Borno State and close to the Cameroonian border. Nigerian troops stormed the insurgent base, leading to intense combat.

"The intense battle resulted in the neutralisation of at least 60 terrorists," stated the military regarding the Bita engagement.

Intelligence sources confirmed airstrikes on extremist camps in both Bita and Kareto village, located in Abadam district near the Niger border. While the confirmed casualties were tied to the Bita assault, sources indicated the total number could rise once more details emerge about the Kareto operation.

Later that same day, another offensive was carried out in Kukawa, a Boko Haram stronghold along Lake Chad’s shores. This strike reportedly led to the death of a prominent insurgent leader and members of his inner circle.

"His deputy, several explosives experts, and multiple other terrorists were also eliminated in the confrontation," the military reported.

The senior commander, Amir Abu Fatima, identified as Boko Haram’s leader in Kukawa district, was said to have been “fatally wounded” during the clash with Nigerian forces. He had been a key target for the military, with a bounty of 100 million naira placed on his head.

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