By Ahmed Kingimi
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, May 8 (Reuters) – Fighters suspected of being members of Islamic State West Africa Province attacked a Nigerian army base in the northeastern town of Magumeri, killing at least two soldiers and wounding the commanding officer, security sources and the military said.
The assault in Borno state in the early hours of Thursday was the latest deadly attack on troops battling an insurgency that has raged for more than a decade in northeast Nigeria.
A military source told Reuters three soldiers were killed and the commanding officer was severely wounded when the militants stormed the Forward Operating Base in Magumeri under poor visibility.
“Three soldiers were killed in the attack while the commanding officer was severely injured … and 14 other soldiers were injured,” the source said, adding that about eight militants were killed. Troops recovered 20 motorcycles, several machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades from the assailants after repelling the attack, the source said.
A member of the civilian joint taskforce, a vigilante group that supports the military, said he saw three dead soldiers and part of the base on fire after the attack.
“The commanding officer sustained injury and about 20 others sustained gunshot injuries,” he said, adding that about 10 Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters were killed.
Nigeria’s military said troops of Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s counterinsurgency operation in the northeast, “successfully contained” the attack and “neutralised scores” of ISWAP fighters after they attempted to infiltrate the base.
“Regrettably, two gallant soldiers paid the supreme price in the course of the battle, while an officer and other wounded personnel are currently stable and receiving appropriate medical attention,” Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, spokesperson for the joint task force, said in a statement.
The military said some equipment and temporary structures were damaged by fire during the battle and that troops recovered anti-aircraft guns, AK-47 rifles and ammunition from fleeing militants.
(Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi, Writing by Ben Ezeamalu, Editing by William Maclean)
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