Jihadists from Boko Haram and the ISIS-backed Islamic State-West Africa Province (ISWAP) — once the same group — have reportedly intensified their attacks against Nigerian military facilities over the past week, killing several officials and civilians, local outlets reported on Tuesday.
Nigeria is experiencing an intensified wave of jihadist attacks against its security forces that has reportedly seen the insurgents attack military bases and seize any weaponry and ammunition they can find. Military spokesmen have reportedly confirmed “several coordinated attacks” on military bases in northeast Nigeria.
The Daily Trust detailed on Tuesday that both Boko Haram and ISWAP launched a series of attacks at different locations in Borno over the past week, leaving left at least three military commanding officers dead and bringing the number of dead commanding officers so far this year up to seven.
The newspaper Vanguard reported that, on Monday, both jihadist groups launched a string of separate overnight attacks on military bases in the town of Kukawa, Borno, killing at least 14 people, including ten soldiers. The military sources, however, asserted to Vanguard that all targeted locations “remained under control.”
Vanguard, citing a Nigerian security report seen by AFP and information from anti-jihadist militias assisting the military, explained that ISWAP attacked a base in Kukaka’s Lake Chad area and engaged in a separate three-hour gun battle against the jihadists while Boko Haram attacked a military outpost int he village of Dalwa, killing two soldiers and four local residents according to the village’s chief Shetimma Isa Bukar, who informed AFP that the jihadists set fire to more than 200 homes befor they withdrew.
The newspaper also detailed that suspected Boko Haram forces also attacked the town of Goniri in the neighboring state of Yobe, killing four troops and setting fire to buildings and military vehicles.
In a separate report, Vanguard informed that not all of the recent jihadist attacks against the military in Borno have been successful. The newspaper explained that, less than 24 hours since Monday’s string of attacks, Nigerian forces successfully repelled an early Tuesday morning attack from Boko Haram and ISWAP at a military base in Doron Baga.
According to military sources cited by the newspaper, the clash occurred at around 2:12 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday and lasted for about 55 minutes, leaving an unspecified amount of jihadists killed and allowed Nigerian forces to retrieve an assortment of arms and ammunition.
“Troops stood their ground and maintained tactical dominance throughout the engagement, which ended around 5:50 a.m.” the source reportedly said. “Several terrorists were killed during the encounter, while there were no casualties or equipment losses on the side of the troops.”
The Daily Trust reported on Wednesday that Nigerian Army forces killed three suspected terrorists and recovered firearms, ammunition, and other equipment during a military operation in Tangaza, Sokoto. The operation was reportedly conducted in response to intelligence information suggesting the presence of more than 100 terrorists deep in Tangaza’s Kadam Forest.
“During follow-up exploitation operations in the forest, the troops confirmed that three terrorists were neutralized, while several others were believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds,” The Daily Trust reported.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after a Service Chiefs , Nigerian Defense Minister Christopher Musa said that the country’s military still maintains “control over insecurity” despite the surge in jihadist violence in northeast Nigeria.
“We had a quick meeting with members of the services to review our strategy in all our theatres within the country,” Musa said. “We are aware of the issues on the ground, but I want to assure Nigerians that members of the Armed Forces are working tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria is safe and secure.”
“We know we have suffered some casualties, but I can tell you the terrorists and bandits are taking more,” he continued. “We are taking out more of their commanders and destroying their assets, and we will continue to do that.”
Reports published in February indicate that the United States would seen about 200 troops to Nigeria “within the next few weeks” to train the nation’s military forces in counter-terrorism tactics. An unnamed U.S. official explained at the time that a small group of U.S. forces were already present in Nigeria since January, with U.S. and Nigerian officials noting that the American troops will not be involved in combat.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Read the full article here
