Abuja, September 30 (RHC-Xinhua) -- Government forces in Nigeria have killed nine Boko Haram fighters in the country's northeastern state of Borno, an army spokesman said on Thursday.

The Boko Haram fighters were killed in a gunfight with troops in Bulabulin area of the state on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Nigerian army told Xinhua news agency. He said several Boko Haram fighters were also wounded in the fight, which lasted for an hour.

Nigeria's northeast region has been a stronghold of the extremist group Boko Haram.

At least 22 Boko Haram fighters were killed in a military operation earlier this week.

In past months, the Nigerian government has launched several military operations to eliminate the terrorist threat.