At least 27 army soldiers were killed in an attack by armed groups in Nigeria. The attack took place at a military base in the state of Bourno in the northeast of the country.
The French news agency AFP reported on two sources in the West African country.
According to the AFP, an army official said at least 20 soldiers, including a commander, were killed in a suicide attack at the army base. Several others were seriously injured in the attack.
Local militants Boko Haram and Islamic State (IS) allies in the province of West Africa conduct their activities from the state of Bourno. In the past, members of the militant group have attacked security forces and civilians at various times. Attacks by ISWAP fighters killed hundreds and displaced thousands.
On Friday, ISWAP fighters came in trucks and carried out a suicide bomb attack on the 149 battalion of the army in Malam-Fatori town of Borno state. Both soldiers and residents said ISWAP fighters carried out the suicide bombings and gunfire at the base at the entrance to the Niger border.
A soldier who survived the attack told Reuters news agency in a telephone interview that the militants rained bullets everywhere. The soldiers stationed at the base were taken aback by the sudden attack.
The soldier, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to speak to the media, said, “We made a lot of efforts to repulse the attack and we retreated after a gunfight that lasted for more than three hours.” Our commanding officer has also been killed.
However, a Nigerian army spokesman did not immediately respond immediately to the comments about the attack, Reuters said. Residents of the city said that some militants were spotted in Malm-Fatori on Saturday night.
“Militants have burned buildings,” said Malakaka Booker, a member of a local militia group appointed to assist the army. Some residents have been forced to escape from the city. ”