At least 10 Nigerian soldiers were killed and 20 others wounded when suspected Boko Haram fighters launched a coordinated assault on a military base in northeastern Borno state, military sources and residents said on Thursday.
The militants attacked the army installation in the Guzamala local government area on Tuesday night, overwhelming troops, destroying military vehicles and setting fire to parts of the nearby village of Mairari.
Two military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the incident, said at least five civilians and a forest guard were also killed during the assault.
More than 20 people were wounded, according to the sources, although the full extent of the casualties remains unclear.
Military spokesperson Captain Mohammed Goni did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Before storming the military base, the fighters reportedly seized more than 40 fishing boats in Tumbun Barebari, a nearby lakeside community.
Jibrin Hassan, a fisherman whose boat was among those confiscated, said the militants carried out the raid shortly before attacking the military position.
Another fisherman, Babagana Muhammad, described the operations as simultaneous but said the attackers did not harm the fishermen.
The assault comes amid renewed attacks by armed Islamist groups across northeastern Nigeria, where Boko Haram and its rival, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), continue to challenge government forces despite years of military campaigns.
Nigeria has been battling an Islamist insurgency in its northeast for approximately 17 years, with repeated attacks on military installations and civilian communities undermining efforts to restore stability.
Last week, Nigerian troops reportedly repelled an ISWAP assault on another military position in Borno state, killing more than 25 fighters. The military did not disclose whether government forces suffered casualties in that confrontation.
