The so-called Islamic State group (IS) has said it was behind a suicide attack against the Nigerian army in the north-east of the country.
The Nigerian military says troops from the multinational joint task force responded to insurgents in the town of Arege, near the border with Niger, killing 33 militants and recovering weapons and vehicles.
The statement from IS suggests the bomber was a local militant.
It was a rare suicide attack, considering IS mostly uses firearms or improvised explosive devices against the Nigerian military.
Regional troops based across the Niger border in Diffa responded to the attackers.
The Nigerian military says it has been working with ground and air forces from Cameroon and Niger to counter the insurgents.
Claims of violent activity by IS in the Lake Chad Basin area increased towards the end of 2018.
Last month the jihadist group carried out attacks in Borno State in north-east Nigeria, in what it said was an attempt to disrupt the country’s general elections.
