Nigerian troops repelled a two-pronged ISWAP assault on a Borno military base, killing several fighters and recovering weapons during continuing counter-insurgency operations….reports Africa Daily News Desk
Nigerian troops have repelled a coordinated overnight assault on a military base in Borno State, killing several suspected Islamic State West Africa Province fighters and recovering weapons and other equipment, according to the military.
The attack targeted a Forward Operating Base at Mandaragirau in Biu Local Government Area at about 2am on August 15, when militants launched a simultaneous assault from two directions.
Troops from the 162 Amphibious Battalion, operating under the military-led Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, detected the advancing fighters through early-warning and surveillance systems, the Nigerian military said.
A combat team was deployed to intercept one of the attacking groups, leading to a heavy exchange of fire.
According to Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer for Operation Hadin Kai, the first group was pushed back before a second group attempted to bypass the troops and infiltrate the base.
That attempt was also repelled, forcing the attackers to withdraw. Nigerian forces then pursued them along their withdrawal routes and searched the surrounding area, the military said.
The military said several suspected ISWAP fighters were killed, although it did not provide an independently verified casualty figure. Reports citing the operation described the recovery of AK-47 rifles and ammunition, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with associated bombs and chargers, as well as a camcorder and other equipment. The military said no casualties were recorded among its troops.
Surveillance footage obtained after the fighting reportedly showed retreating militants removing bodies from the area towards the Timbuktu Triangle, a remote area that has long been associated with insurgent activity in northeastern Nigeria.
The attack was the latest in a series of operations and clashes involving Nigerian forces and suspected ISWAP fighters in Borno, where security forces have continued intelligence-led ground and air operations.
Just days before the Mandaragirau attack, the Nigerian Air Force said it had carried out a precision strike against an ISWAP camp in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno. The operation followed intelligence and surveillance of suspected militant movements.
The Air Force said nine ISWAP fighters, including a commander identified as Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, were killed, while several others were injured. The commander was described by the Nigerian Air Force as playing a role in providing security escorts for senior members of the group.
The Mandaragirau base has also been targeted previously. In March, Nigerian troops reported killing 38 suspected ISWAP fighters after repelling another attack on the same Forward Operating Base, underlining the continued threat facing military positions in the area.
The military has stepped up efforts to disrupt militant movements across Borno through a combination of surveillance, air power and ground operations.
On August 23, Operation Hadin Kai said its air platforms had carried out multiple intelligence-led strikes across Borno after surveillance identified concentrations and movements of suspected terrorists. The operation formed part of continuing efforts to restrict the ability of armed groups to regroup and launch attacks.
Borno has remained at the centre of Nigeria’s long-running insurgency, which has involved Boko Haram and its rival ISWAP faction. Both groups have carried out attacks on military targets and civilians and have also operated across parts of the wider Lake Chad Basin.
The Nigerian military said the latest operation demonstrated the importance of early-warning systems and surveillance in preventing attacks on troop positions.
Operation Hadin Kai said it would continue efforts to deny armed groups freedom of movement and weaken their ability to organise coordinated assaults across the northeast.
The latest clash comes as Nigerian forces face the continuing challenge of maintaining pressure on insurgent groups while protecting communities and military positions across the vast and difficult terrain of Borno State.
