The Nigerian military said on Wednesday its troops had killed 34 Islamist militants in a gun battle in northeastern Borno state and six soldiers had also died.

The clash took place on Saturday in Sabon Gari village when the militants ambushed troops returning to a military base, military spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba said.

The militants belonged to the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) groups, he said. They were riding on motorcycles and trucks mounted with guns.

The troops, along with reinforcements from the Civilian Joint Taskforce militia and vigilante groups, successfully repelled the attack, he said.

Nigeria has been grappling with a 16-year-long Islamist insurgency in its northeast driven primarily by Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP that has led to huge human and economic losses, including mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis.

Buba said six soldier were killed in the action while an improvised explosive device (IED) injured the vigilante commander. The Nigerian Air Force also carried out airstrikes on the fleeing insurgents, resulting in further casualties in addition to the 34 killed in the gun battle, Buba said.