<span style="color: #222222;">Seven soldiers have lost their lives and 38 Boko Haram terrorists killed in an encounter in the West African country of Niger. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The encounter broke out after terrorists attacked a remote military base in the city of Diffa which shares its border with Nigeria, the birthplace of Boko Haram. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Defence Ministry said in a statement that five vehicles belonging to the terrorists and a huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Boko Haram's insurgency began in northeastern Nigeria in 2009 but has since spread into neighbouring countries, prompting a regional military response. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Some 27,000 people have been killed and two million displaced, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the region.</span><br />''