Fourteen soldiers sustained injuries during a recent attack by Islamist militants on a military base in the remote northeast region of Nigeria, close to the Niger border. The assault took place on Monday when fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) launched an attack using heavy weaponry, including rocket-propelled grenades, targeting the strategic base in Malam Fatori.
Military and local militia sources reported that troops engaged the assailants in a fierce battle, ultimately driving them back and causing significant casualties among the attackers. Sources indicate that several militants were killed, and nine were captured during the confrontation.
Babakura Kolo, a militia leader assisting Nigerian forces in combating jihadist activities, detailed the intensity of the engagement, emphasizing that ISWAP attempted to overwhelm the base but faced strong resistance from the soldiers. He confirmed the injury toll of fourteen soldiers and reiterated that numerous attackers met their end in the conflict, a statement corroborated by a military officer who chose to remain anonymous due to restrictions on speaking about the incident.
ISWAP has publicly claimed responsibility for the assault, asserting in a statement that their fighters managed to “kill and wound” twelve soldiers while also capturing a machine gun from the base. This incident marks one of many attempts by ISWAP to take control of the Malam Fatori base, which has been targeted multiple times in recent months.
The base, which is located 200 kilometers (approximately 124 miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, was originally seized by Boko Haram militants in 2014 before being recaptured by Nigerian forces the following year. Since January alone, ISWAP has executed twelve attacks on the facility, indicating a persistent threat to security in the area.
In the wake of these ongoing hostilities, Borno state authorities have been encouraging residents of Malam Fatori who fled to neighboring Niger to return home. However, many residents are apprehensive, as previous attempts to resettle have been thwarted by ISWAP raids and the destruction of homes. The latest attack coincided with the recent repatriation of approximately 1,000 refugees back from Niger’s Toumour village.
The broader jihadist conflict in northeast Nigeria has led to the deaths of over 40,000 people and displaced around two million individuals since its onset in 2009. The violence has also spilled into neighboring countries such as Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, resulting in the formation of a regional military coalition tasked with combating the escalating threat posed by these extremist groups.
