In another brazen assault, fighters from the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have killed five Nigerian soldiers and severely wounded six others during a coordinated attack on a military base in Rann, headquarters of Kala-Balge Local Government Area in Borno State.
Military sources confirmed that the terrorists struck at midnight on Tuesday, using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to execute the surprise raid on the 3 Battalion base. The attackers reportedly made away with weapons and military hardware after breaching the base’s defenses.
This latest strike comes less than 24 hours after ISWAP forces raided a military outpost in New Marte, also in Borno, killing soldiers and destroying vehicles while residents fled the area in panic.
A resident, Babagana Modu, praised the soldiers for their bravery but acknowledged that the insurgents deployed heavy-duty weapons during the assault, prompting a tactical withdrawal by the troops.
In a separate incident on Monday night, ISWAP operatives attempted to overrun a military facility in Gajiram, headquarters of Nganzai Local Government Area. However, troops reportedly repelled the assault.
As of press time, the Nigerian military is yet to issue an official statement regarding these successive attacks in the northeastern state.
The renewed wave of violence has heightened concerns over the security situation in Borno and the evolving tactics of the insurgents, including the use of drone technology in combat.
