
At least 20 Nigerian soldiers, including a commanding officer, were killed in an attack by suspected Islamist insurgents on an army base in northeastern Borno state, security sources and residents reported on Sunday.
The assault, attributed to fighters from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), targeted the army’s 149 Battalion in Malam-Fatori, near the border with Niger. According to survivors, the militants launched their attack on Friday using gun trucks and heavy firepower, catching troops off guard.
“They rained bullets everywhere,” a surviving soldier recounted anonymously. “We fought hard to repel the attack, but after over three hours of intense gunfire, they overpowered us, killing our commanding officer, a lieutenant colonel.”
The soldier confirmed that 20 troops were killed and several others injured during the clash.
Boko Haram and ISWAP have long terrorized the Borno region, displacing and killing tens of thousands of civilians and security personnel. The Nigerian Army has yet to issue a statement on the incident.