ISIL reportedly claims responsibility for the killing of at least 20 Nigerian soldiers
At least 20 soldiers from Nigeria are believed to have lost their lives in an alleged assault attributed to the West Africa Province affiliate of the Islamic State group, commonly known as ISWAP.
A military base in the remote town of Malam-Fatori, located in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state, was subjected to a prolonged assault on Friday. According to a soldier who survived the ordeal, the attack persisted for over three hours.
Militant groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are primarily active in the Borno region, where they have launched attacks against security personnel and civilians, resulting in the deaths and displacement of tens of thousands of individuals.
According to reports from Reuters, based on information from security sources and local residents, a senior commanding officer was among the fatalities following an attack by members of ISWAP on the Nigerian Army’s 149th Battalion in Malam-Fatori. The assailants reportedly arrived using gun-mounted trucks and targeted the military base, which is strategically located near the border with Niger, on Sunday.
A surviving soldier reported to Reuters via phone that the troops were caught off guard as gunfire was indiscriminately unleashed in all directions.
A soldier, who wished to remain anonymous due to lack of authorization to speak to the press, recounted a harrowing confrontation, stating, “Despite our concerted efforts to fend off the assaults, the attackers ultimately overwhelmed us after more than three hours of intense combat, resulting in the death of our commanding officer, a lieutenant colonel.”
He reported that 20 soldiers lost their lives, while numerous others sustained injuries.
