At least 18 people have been killed by gunmen in separate attacks on Kawel and Kopkon communities in Mushere district, Bokkos LGA of Plateau state.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, that troops of Sector 5 under Operation Enduring Peace responded to the coordinated attacks around 1:20am on June 20.
The sources said the attackers invaded Kawel and Kopkon villages, firing sporadically before fleeing as security personnel arrived.
When troops got to the scene, they reportedly found 12 bodies in Kawel village and six in Kopkon village.
The sources added that security forces immediately launched operations in the area to track down the fleeing suspects.
Operation Enduring Peace has since stepped up patrols and deployments across parts of Plateau state following repeated attacks on rural communities.
In May, 12 people were killed in separate attacks in Riyom and Bassa LGAs of the state.
The attacks, which usually occur at night, have continued amid ongoing violence and reprisal killings in different parts of Plateau.
In March, gunmen killed 27 residents in the Angwan Rukuba area of Jos north.