Troops repel coordinated ISWAP attacks in Borno

Nigerian troops have successfully repelled a series of coordinated attacks by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on multiple military positions across Borno State, including Maiduguri, Damboa, Baga and Buratai, in the early hours of Saturday.

Security sources said the attacks were launched almost simultaneously but were thwarted by troops of Operation Hadin Kai with support from joint security forces.

At about 12:00 a.m., insurgents attempted to storm troop positions on the outskirts of Maiduguri near Dala Ajilari Cross. The attack was met with swift resistance by soldiers working alongside operatives of the Police Crack Squad, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and local hunters.

Residents reported sporadic gunfire and heavy military movement around the city’s outskirts as security forces pushed back the attackers.

Shortly after, at about 1:10 a.m., ISWAP fighters launched another assault on the 135 Special Forces Battalion in Buratai, Biu Local Government Area. The insurgents reportedly attacked in several groups using heavy weapons and technical vehicles in an attempt to breach the military facility.

Troops mounted a strong defence, engaging the terrorists in a fierce gun battle that lasted nearly two hours before the attackers were forced to retreat. During the exchange, a projectile struck one of the military buildings, sparking a fire within the facility.

Around the same time, insurgents also targeted the Brigade Headquarters and other military positions along the Baga–Mile 4 axis, including areas linked to the Special Boat Service (SBS) responsible for securing the Lake Chad waterways.

The attackers deployed gun trucks, motorcycles and rocket-propelled grenades in an effort to overwhelm the positions, but troops responded with coordinated firepower, inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists and forcing them to withdraw.

A security source in Baga said many insurgents were killed during the clash.

“We inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists. The battle began around 1:10 a.m. and lasted nearly two hours. They attempted to evacuate their dead, but several bodies were left behind,” the source said.

Following the successful defence, residents in Maiduguri poured into the streets to celebrate the troops’ victory.

Many youths were seen cheering and chanting in support of the soldiers, expressing relief and renewed confidence in the military’s ability to protect their communities.