In the Nigerian state of Zamfara, armed men shot and killed 13 people, including two police officers and 11 members of a civilian defense group.

The attack took place on the evening of August 8 in the village of Adabka, in the Bukkuyum district. 

According to local MP Hamisu Faru, the militants kidnapped several residents and then ambushed police and militiamen who were pursuing them. 

“We are unable to recover the bodies of the dead as the militants remain in the forest,” he said.

Farou stressed that he believes airstrikes would be the only effective way to fight the militants.

“More than 5,000 fighters are hiding in the nearby forests and continue to terrorize our communities,” the MP said.

Local resident Amin Adech told AFP that residents are fleeing Adabka and the surrounding area en masse.

Despite the military presence in the region since 2015 and the establishment of a militia two years ago with the support of the Zamfara authorities, the attacks continue. Federal and regional authorities have signed peace agreements with the bandits, but these have been repeatedly violated.

Earlier in August, armed militants attacked six villages in Zamfara and Borno states, kidnapping at least 60 people, among them women and children.

Nigeria has been suffering from terrorist attacks for many years, especially in the northeast of the country.

The most active group in the region is the Boko Haram insurgency, which emerged in Nigeria in 2009. The ensuing conflict, which drew in other jihadist groups, has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced about 2 million more.