Jihadists linked to the Islamic State attacked a military base in Nigeria’s restive north with grenades and drones, killing seven troopers, and littered a key freeway with explosives, navy sources advised AFP Saturday.
Early on Friday, fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) rained rocket-propelled grenades and explosive-laden drones on the bottom in Ngamdu village, 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
“We misplaced seven troopers within the well-coordinated assault by ISWAP terrorists,” a navy officer stated.
4 navy automobiles have been destroyed, stated a second navy supply who gave the identical toll. Each officers requested anonymity as they weren’t authorised to talk about the raid.
A Friday navy memo seen by AFP stated six troopers have been killed and 6 others injured within the assault.
Casualties sustained by the jihadists have been “unconfirmed, although blood stains on the bottom have been seen,” in keeping with the memo.
The Nigerian military gave a decrease toll of 4 troops killed and stated the attackers have been repelled by troops and “reinforcement parts” from a close-by base.
The Nigerian military performs down casualties in its combat in opposition to jihadists who’ve been waging a 16-year revolt to determine a caliphate within the northeast.
The assault prompted “a short lived closure” of the 120-kilometre freeway linking Maiduguri and Damaturu, the capital of neighbouring Yobe state, for the navy to defuse explosives planted by the militants, the military stated.
Since 2019, troopers have shut down some smaller military bases and moved into bigger, fortified garrisons often called “tremendous camps” in an try to raised resist militant assaults.
However critics say the “tremendous camp” technique has additionally allowed militants extra liberty to maneuver round in rural areas and left travellers extra susceptible to kidnapping.
There was a current uptick in assaults by ISWAP and the rival Boko Haram group after a lull.
The unrest has displaced round two million within the northeast and spilled into neighbouring international locations, prompting a regional navy coalition preventing the Islamist teams to finish violence.
