Boko Haram kills 10 soldiers in ambush in northeast Nigeria
This file photo shows Nigerian troops patrolling the streets of the remote northeastern town of Baga, Borno State, Nigeria, April 30, 2013. (AFP Photo)


Members of the Boko Haram terrorist group killed 10 soldiers in an ambush in northeastern Nigeria, local media reported Wednesday.

Eight soldiers were also wounded in the attack, which took place near the town of Marte in Borno state.

Their military vehicle was set on fire, and food and supplies were seized by the insurgents.

Boko Haram launched a bloody insurgency in northeastern Nigeria in 2009 before expanding its attacks to neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a military response. Scores of civilians are still trapped in remote communities and are unable to flee due to a lack of security on roads.

Over 3.4 million people have been displaced, including over 2.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in northeastern Nigeria, over 684,000 IDPs in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, and 294,000 refugees from the four countries, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The appointment of Daesh-backed former Boko Haram spokesperson Abu Mus'ab al-Barnawi as the new leader of the organization in 2016 caused divisions between Barnawi and Abubakar Shekau, who has been the leader since 2009.