Nigerian troops killed at least 18 terrorists and destroyed several terrorist enclaves in coordinated operations across Borno state, the military said on Wednesday, as security forces intensify pressure on terrorist groups in the northeast.

Borno has faced a persistent threat from Boko Haram terrorists for 17 years. The terrorist attacks in the state have killed thousands of people and displaced two million others.

Military spokesperson Sani Uba said troops working with air force units and local auxiliaries carried out offensives in the Timbuktu axis and Bulabulin forest, targeting hideouts and supply networks.

Eleven terrorists were killed in Bulabulin and seven in the Timbuktu area, Uba said in a statement.

Operation aimed at neutralising terrorist threat

The operations form part of an ongoing campaign aimed at dismantling terrorist strongholds across the region after a recent assault on military bases that killed several troops, including senior officers.

Air support provided surveillance and precision strikes, while follow-up operations were under way to track escaping terrorists, Uba said.