ISWAP Attack Kills Five Nigerian Soldiers Near Niger Border

Kano, Nigeria– Fighters from the Daesh-affiliated group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), attacked a Nigerian military base near the Niger border on Saturday, killing five soldiers and wounding 10 others. The raid took place at the military base in Kareto village, Borno state, triggering a gunbattle between the attackers and Nigerian forces.

ISWAP militants also captured four trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns and destroyed several military vehicles, including a mine-resistant truck. According to a senior military officer, four soldiers are still missing, and search efforts are ongoing. The attack occurred amidst a worsening security situation in northern Nigeria, which has been plagued by Islamist insurgencies since 2009.

In a statement, ISWAP claimed responsibility for the attack, stating they had killed or wounded over 20 troops in a suicide bombing and set fire to the base, destroying 14 vehicles. The Kareto base, which houses Nigeria’s 149 Battalion, has been repeatedly targeted by both ISWAP and Boko Haram militants.

The ongoing insurgency, aimed at establishing an Islamic Caliphate, has caused more than 40,000 deaths and displaced approximately two million people in the region.