At least nine Nigerian soldiers were killed on Sunday after their convoy hit a landmine and came under fire in Borno state. The attack occurred near Bindundul village, roughly 20 kilometres from Kareto, a zone long shadowed by militant activity.
Security sources said the soldiers were travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak, a key military hub in northeastern Nigeria. A military source said fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province operate freely in the area and frequently set up illegal checkpoints.
“The terrorists planted a mine that our soldiers stepped on,” said Abba Kaka Tuja, a Civilian Joint Task Force member. He said nine soldiers died instantly, while five others sustained serious injuries during the blast and subsequent gunfire.
An armoured vehicle was destroyed when the mine exploded, Tuja added, as militants opened sporadic fire on the convoy. The attack took place around 1600 GMT, underscoring the persistent dangers facing troops along remote supply routes.
Military officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the incident. Nigeria’s northeast remains the country’s most volatile region, with ISWAP and Boko Haram escalating attacks on soldiers and civilians.
Violence has also spread beyond the northeast, with the United States carrying out a strike against Islamic State militants in the northwest last month. The conflict continues to carve grief into communities, leaving soldiers and civilians exposed to relentless and shifting threats.
