LAGOS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 300 militants of the extremist group Boko Haram were killed by troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) on the fringes of Lake Chad, a spokesperson said Saturday.

In a statement issued in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri, Kamarudeen Adegoke, an MNJTF spokesperson, said the militants were killed in 30 separate encounters in recent weeks, and the task force is appraising its operations so far to prepare for the next decisive stage.

Adegoke said an increasing dependence on improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by the insurgents was noted and necessary countermeasures were proffered.

"About four IED-making factories were destroyed in the course of the operations so far," he said.

Adegoke said over 52,000 militants and their families have so far surrendered in the MNJTF's areas of operational responsibility.

At least six MNJTF soldiers and a member of the civilian joint task force were killed during the operations, he said. "Several troops have also been injured but are recuperating well."

The MNJTF is a joint military effort created by countries including Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Benin to fight Boko Haram and the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP), which threaten the stability of the Lake Chad region. Enditem

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