Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) killed five Nigerian soldiers and injured ten others during a raid on a military base in Kareto village, Borno state, near the Niger border. The attack occurred early Saturday morning, sparking a fierce gunbattle, according to military officials.
The militants stormed the base of the Nigerian Army’s 149 Battalion, which is deployed to combat ISWAP and Boko Haram insurgents. Four soldiers remain missing, and search-and-rescue efforts are underway, one officer stated on condition of anonymity.
The attackers seized four trucks equipped with anti-aircraft guns and set fire to five other military vehicles, including a mine-resistant truck. ISWAP, in a statement monitored by SITE Intelligence, claimed responsibility for the raid, asserting they used a suicide car bomb and inflicted over 20 casualties on Nigerian forces.
The insurgency in northern Nigeria, driven by ISWAP and Boko Haram, has lasted 15 years, aiming to establish an Islamic caliphate. It has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million others.
Security cooperation along the Nigeria-Niger border has been further undermined since the military coup in Niger in July 2023, complicating counterinsurgency operations. The base in Kareto, located 153 kilometers (95 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri, has been a frequent target for militant attacks.