ISWAP raid kills eight Nigerian soldiers as jihadist attacks intensify in northeast

By Rédaction Africanews and AP

At least eight Nigerian soldiers have been killed and 23 others wounded after a deadly raid by jihadists linked to the Islamic State in the country’s northeast.

Security sources say around 70 fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province stormed a military base in Cross Kauwa village in Borno State on Monday, arriving on motorcycles and launching a fierce gun battle.

The attackers reportedly mobilized from a camp on Lake Chad, burning down the base, destroying 11 gun trucks and seizing mounted anti-aircraft weapons before retreating.

The base lies just 24 kilometers from Baga, a key fishing hub, and has served as a major security buffer against militant advances.

The assault is part of a broader surge in violence. Both ISWAP and rival group Boko Haram have intensified attacks on military positions across the region, including separate raids over the weekend near Sambisa forest and in Pulka, close to the Cameroon border.

According to the United Nations, more than 40,000 people have been killed and around two million displaced since the insurgency began in 2009. The conflict has spilled into neighboring countries, straining a regional military coalition already weakened by political tensions.

Meanwhile, the United States Africa Command says about 200 US troops are being deployed to Nigeria to provide technical and training support as the fight against jihadist groups intensifies.