Militants in northern Nigeria kill 10 security forces and 1 resident, officials say

Armed militants ambushed Nigerian security forces who were responding to a distress call in the northwestern state of Kebbi, fatally shooting nine soldiers, a police officer and one resident, authorities said Wednesday.

The militants targeted the security forces in Kebbi’s Shanga council area late Tuesday when they were being deployed to respond to warnings about a pending attack, according to Yahaya Sarki, a spokesman for Kebbi state government.

Several soldiers also were injured in the attack in the village of Giron Masa, said Sarki, who shared photos of burned vehicles along a dusty road surrounded by forests.

Kebbi Governor Nasir Idris visited the injured soldiers at the hospital and said the attack had caused great loss. “Those that lost their lives, the government of Kebbi state will do everything to assist the families,” he said.

The attack is the latest in a cycle of violence in Nigeria’s conflict-battered region where armed groups often target