Terrorists from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Sunday, reportedly attacked a Nigerian Army location at 156 Battalion in Mainok area, Borno State, killing about 31 soldiers, military sources tell AFP
The insurgents also set ablaze a Nigerian army tanker and some buildings in the military base, killing more than 30 soldiers before pulling back in the face of air strikes, sources said.
The attackers were believed to belong to the regional offshoot of Islamic State. They hit the base in Mainok town in northeast Borno state on Sunday afternoon, three soldiers and a local resident told Reuters.
Rising insecurity across Nigeria has killed scores of soldiers and civilians this year. Just over a month ago, about 30 soldiers were killed in four attacks by Islamist militants in northeast Nigeria.
“Boko Haram members attacked the military super camp in Borno today with our men putting up a strong fight to defend base and ward off the insurgents.”
“But despite their gallant efforts, the soldiers were overwhelmed because they could not withstand the superior firepower of the terrorists. So far, we have recovered over 30 bodies of dead soldiers,” a source also revealed to Sahara Reporters.
“The Boko Haram terrorists disguised in military uniform and gained access to the camp. They came in different groups and could not be counted. The Nigerian Army were pinned down, they requested for reinforcement, the reinforcement got on their way only to get smoked by the Nigerian Airforce.
“The (reinforcement team) was coming from Ngandu and were killed by an airstrike. The Air Force mistook them for Boko Haram as both wore similar military uniform and operational vehicles,” the source said.
In the past months, terrorists in the North-East, who lay in ambush on their path have targeted soldiers, killing hundreds, since the beginning of the year.
Recall that at least 33 soldiers were recently killed when two explosive-laden vehicles rammed into a military convoy in Wulgo while about 20 soldiers were also killed in Malari, Borno State by the insurgents in February.
