The development was recorded in a battle that lasted for over 48 hours, according to locals who fled the area to Maiduguri, the state capital.
It was gathered that the fleeing insurgents left behind many assorted arms and ammunition, which the military recovered from their hideout in a tunnel that is capable of housing more than 3,000 fighters and over 200 vehicles.
A security source told journalists that many vehicles of the insurgents, some with anti-aircraft missiles mounted on them, were destroyed.
Alagarno is 45 kilometres from Maiduguri and has been a resistant ground in the last two years of the attempt by Nigerian military to take control. It was said to be one of the major strongholds of the Boko Haram insurgents which they used for various activities, including training of recruits, organising attacks and hiding hostages.
Source within the military said after their dislodgment from dozens of communities in Northern and central parts of Borno State, the insurgents intensified shuttling between Sambisa forest and Alagarno, a move that also allowed them to get in and out of some communities in Yobe State.
He said after weeks of surveillance and mapping, fighter jets and ground troops with latest fighting equipment were deployed to Alagarno for an operation that is still ongoing as of press time.
“Hundreds of the terrorists have been killed during aerial reconnaissance and ground operations which started days ago and is still ongoing. We are making serious progress because we ensured that all their escape routes have been blocked before the latest operation began,” a security source said, adding that “after we took over Gwoza, even the so-called Shekau relocated to Alagarno area and he is still on the run. But we will get him. We will surely get him.”
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Crime