Suspected insurgents attacked a Nigerian Army base along the Mandara–Buratai Road in Borno State early Friday, killing eight soldiers and leaving several others wounded. The assault occurred in the early hours during heavy rainfall, according to military sources.

A source at the 162 Battalion facility said the attackers struck at about 4 a.m. when visibility was poor. “They attacked us at 4 a.m. today when it was raining,” the source stated. Another source said the gunmen overran parts of the base and carried out a brutal assault on troops stationed there.

The sources added that the insurgents came in large numbers and caught the troops off guard amid the bad weather. Several personnel sustained injuries during the attack. Reinforcement teams have since been deployed to the area while assessments continue on casualties and damage to the facility.

The latest incident adds to a series of renewed assaults by Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters targeting military formations in the North-East, despite ongoing counterinsurgency operations by Operation Hadin Kai.

Source: Punch