Dozens of Boko Haram militants killed in NE Nigeria clashes

At least three soldiers, six vigilantes and dozens of Boko Haram insurgents have been killed in clashes in the restive northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, AFP reported sources as saying on Thursday. The Islamist militants launched an attack on the Borno state capital on Wednesday evening but were repelled by Nigerian troops, according to residents and the army. The assault, which was the first on Maiduguri for three months, came after sweeping offensives against Boko Haram strongholds by a regional military coalition of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.