Insurgents kill eight soldiers at Borno military base

Eight soldiers have been killed in an overnight attack on a Nigerian Army base in Borno State, according to reports. Insurgents, suspected to be from Boko Haram or the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), stormed the 162 Battalion on the Mandara-Burtai road around 4 a.m. Friday during a rainstorm.

Survivors of the attack told Sahara Reporters that the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning. As of the time of reporting, the Nigerian Army had not released an official statement regarding the assault. However, a reinforcement team was reportedly dispatched to the affected area.

A local researcher monitoring the situation in Borno described the details as sketchy. They cautioned against definitively attributing the attack to either Boko Haram or ISWAP, noting that both groups operate in the region. The researcher pointed to the presence of Boko Haram commander Ali Ngulde in the Mandara mountain area and the recent activities of ISWAP commander Amir Ahmad in military target attacks along the Bama, Madagali, and Askirita Uba axis, which connects to the Mandara region.

This attack occurs amidst ongoing joint military operations between U.S. and Nigerian troops. In a separate operation late last month, these forces reportedly killed Abubakar Mainok, a prominent ISWAP commander, along with other fighters. The Defence Headquarters estimated that approximately 20 insurgents were killed during those operations.