Eight soldiers killed while fighting ISWAP in Borno

At least eight soldiers have been killed while fighting off an attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on a military base in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attack targeted troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion, who were attacked from four different directions. This information came from a statement by Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east.

The troops, with support from the Nigerian Air Force, fought back with heavy fire and smart tactics. They killed over 25 terrorists and made others run away, according to the task force’s spokesperson, Mohammed Goni.

Captain Goni said they have recovered 14 bodies of the terrorists. Troops also seized a stockpile of weapons and ammunition, which included six AK-47 rifles.

But the military spokesperson admitted that some soldiers died during the intense fight, though they did not share the exact number of casualties.

SaharaReporters reported that eight soldiers were killed in the attack, citing military sources.

Captain Goni mentioned that troops are still working in the area to find more weapons, track down the fleeing terrorists, and stop them from regrouping.

This attack comes as security forces are ramping up operations against ISWAP and Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east. Military bases and civilian communities have been frequent targets of these terrorist attacks.

Captain Goni expressed condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives in this encounter.

“Their courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty will remain an enduring testament to their service to the nation,” he said.

The military spokesperson called the successful defense against the attack proof of the troops' readiness and better teamwork between ground forces and the Air Component.

He added that troops will keep up aggressive patrols, operations based on intelligence, and coordinated actions with other security agencies to break down terrorist networks and safeguard communities.