At least 10 police officers were killed in a gunbattle with armed rebels in northern Nigeria, authorities said Tuesday.
The clash took place Monday in the Sakaba local government area of Kebbi state, near the border with Zamfara state, according to police spokesperson Bashir Usman.
Two civilians and 17 rebels were also killed in the fighting, Usman said in a statement.
He said security forces intercepted a group of heavily armed rebels traveling on motorcycles after they were spotted near the Zamfara border. The state is known as a stronghold for armed gangs that frequently raid villages and towns.
“Tragically, we lost 10 gallant police personnel in the engagement,” Usman said, adding that two other officers were injured and are receiving medical treatment.
The incident is the latest in a series of deadly attacks in northern Nigeria, where armed groups have been fighting for territory and control of natural resources while security forces struggle to contain the violence.
Dozens of people have been killed in attacks across the region in recent weeks, with police and other security personnel increasingly becoming targets.
The United States is providing military assistance to Nigeria under an agreement that Washington says is aimed at protecting Nigerian Christians. Much of the support, however, is focused on logistics and intelligence gathering related to the violence in the north.