Nigerian army kills 7 in Boko Haram clash

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Several members of an Islamist terrorist group were killed and 13 were arrested in a clash with Nigerian government troops, authorities said.

The army unit, known as the Joint Task Force, had no casualties in the firefight with suspected members of Boko Haram in Maiduguri, a large city in northeastern Nigeria, spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa said.

Musa said Friday the unit was conducting stop and search operations Wednesday night at a military checkpoint when it was fired on, AllAfrica.com reported.

Police have begun round-the-clock patrols around cellphone towers after recent Boko Haram attacks on the facilities, the BBC reported.