Abuja  - A Nigerian militant group that two days ago called off an "oil war" accused government troops Tuesday of an unprovoked attack on other militant groups in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) attacked platforms, pipelines and oil flow-stations owned by Chevron, Shell and Agip during a week-long "oil war" it declared after an earlier attack by Nigerian troops.

The group claimed to have killed dozens of soldiers during the attacks, although the military disputes the figures.

"The Nigerian military... launched an unprovoked air assault on the camps of the Niger Delta Patriotic Force and Niger Delta Vigilante in an attempt to destabilise the ongoing ceasefire," MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, said in a statement.

There was no immediate response from the Nigerian military.

Militant groups such as MEND often attack oil installations and kidnap expatriate workers, saying they are fighting for a greater share of profits from oil exploitation for the poor of the region.

The government says they are merely criminal gangs intent on stealing oil and extorting money.

Prior to the latest string of attacks, the unrest had cut oil production by around a fifth since early 2006, helping to push up global oil prices and allowing Angola to surpass Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil exporter. (dpa)