Terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State group (IS) launched a deadly raid on a military base in northeastern Nigeria, killing six soldiers, according to two military sources confirmed to AFP on Monday, January 6.
The attack occurred early on Sunday, when fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) assaulted the base in Sabon Gari, located in the Damboa district of Borno State. The militants arrived in trucks and on motorcycles, setting fire to the base and destroying army vehicles during the coordinated attack.
“We lost six soldiers in the ISWAP terrorist attack on the base after an intense gun battle,” one military officer shared, describing the heavy fighting that unfolded. The soldiers were ultimately forced to retreat under pressure.
In response to the attack, fighter jets were deployed from the regional capital, Maiduguri, located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) away, to target the retreating militants. The second military officer confirmed that air strikes against the fleeing terrorists resulted in multiple militant fatalities, as well as the destruction of their operational vehicles and weaponry.
However, the officer did not provide specific details on the number of ISWAP casualties.
