Nigerian military reports killing group of 123 armed fighters

Nigerian soldiers killed 123 armed fighters and destroyed logistics nodes they had used in the country's west, the armed forces reported on Thursday.

The fighters were alleged to be aligned with Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), two groups trying to seize control of parts of the country and impose strict religiously conservative societies.

Working with air support, ground troops tracked the fighters down in the north-western state of Zamfara, according to a statement. The incident comes just weeks after militants shot down a military jet.

According to the UN's refugee agency, Boko Haram and ISWAP are responsible for forcing 2.4 million people in Nigeria and neighbouring countries to flee their homes as they seek to consolidate power.