At least 20 Nigerian soldiers are reported to have lost their lives in a suspected assault by fighters affiliated with the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The attack occurred on an army base in the remote town of Malam-Fatori, located in northeastern Borno state, on Friday. A soldier who survived the incident indicated that the assault continued for over three hours.
Boko Haram and ISWAP are primarily active in Borno, where they have targeted both military personnel and civilians, resulting in the deaths and displacement of tens of thousands.
According to Africa24hrs, which cited security sources and local residents, a commanding officer was among those killed when ISWAP militants arrived in gun trucks and launched an attack on the Nigerian Army’s 149th Battalion in Malam-Fatori, a key area near the Niger border.
“They unleashed a barrage of gunfire,” recounted one of the surviving soldiers in a phone interview with Africa24hrs, noting that the troops were caught off guard.
Efforts to fend off the assaults were extensive, but after more than three hours of intense gunfire, we were ultimately overwhelmed, resulting in the death of our commanding officer, a lieutenant colonel,” stated the soldier, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. He reported that 20 soldiers lost their lives, with several others sustaining injuries.
Residents who managed to escape the town indicated that some of the assailants were spotted in Malam-Fatori as recently as Saturday night.
Malakaka Bukar, a member of the local militia formed to assist the military, noted that the attackers also set fire to buildings, compelling many residents to evacuate the area. “They delivered messages to some of the locals,” Bukar added.
ISWAP separated from the main faction of Boko Haram in 2016 and has since emerged as the leading armed group in northeastern Nigeria.
