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Nigeria: At least 27 Nigerian soldiers were killed in a jihadist suicide attack in the northeastern region of Nigeria. According to news agency AFP, the soldiers had attacked by ground a hideout of Islamic State (ISIS)-linked terrorists in a wasteland located between Borno and Yobe states.
A military official told AFP, “27 soldiers were killed in the suicide attack, including the commander, and many others were seriously injured.”
The attack was one of the deadliest suicide attacks targeting the army in recent years. Another official said that it was dark at the time of the attack, due to which the soldiers could not see clearly around. He also said that the number of injured could increase, as the condition of some was “critical”.
Suicide bomber attacked
A suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle hidden in dense bushes into a convoy of soldiers who were proceeding for an operation against the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The attack took place in the ‘Timbuktu Triangle’ area, which was previously held by Boko Haram.
ISWAP broke away from Boko Haram in 2016 to become the main terrorist group in the northeast. It has now seized areas held by Boko Haram, including the Timbuktu Triangle and the Sambisa forest. The group targets soldiers by planting roadside mines and packing explosives into vehicles. In July, seven soldiers were killed in an attack when their vehicle hit a mine.
Civil war in Nigeria
The conflict is now 15 years old, killing about 40,000 people and displacing more than 2 million. The violence has also spread to Nigeria’s neighbouring countries, such as Niger, Chad and Cameroon, resulting in these countries forming a regional force to fight the militants.
