Abuja, Jul 10 (AP) Nigerian security forces have killed at least 30 gunmen after armed attacks in the country's troubled northwest, authorities said Thursday.

The joint police and military operation occurred Wednesday after hundreds of armed men attacked several villages, State Commissioner for Home Affairs Nasir Mua'zu said in a statement.

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Mua'zu said three police officers and two soldiers died during the counter-attack which was launched against the gunmen who attacked the villages Tuesday evening.

“We are working tirelessly with federal security agencies to ensure the safety of all citizens,” he said.

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In recent months, the northwestern and north-central regions of Nigeria have recorded an uptick in attacks by armed gangs on communities in these regions. Hundreds have been killed and injured in the attacks.

Bandit groups are known for mass killings and kidnappings for ransom in the country's conflict-battered north. Most of the groups are made up of former herders in conflict with settled communities.

Dozens of armed groups take advantage of the limited security presence in Nigeria's mineral-rich northwestern region, carrying out attacks on villages and along major roads. Kidnappings for ransom have become a lucrative way for bandit groups to fund other crimes and control villages.

Aside from the conflict in the country's north-central and northwest, Nigeria is battling to contain an insurgency in the northeast where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the UN. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)