Nigeria: 20 Security Personnel Killed in IS Attack on Military Base in Borno State

Nigeria: 20 Security Personnel Killed in IS Attack on Military Base in Borno State
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At least 20 military and security personnel have been killed in an attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants on a military base in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State, according to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

A Nigerian military official told AFP on Thursday that the attack killed 15 soldiers and five members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, a local force supporting efforts to combat armed extremist groups. The assailants reportedly destroyed the base, forcing the troops stationed there to withdraw. Several soldiers were also reported missing, although no exact figure was provided.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media, said the militants had effectively levelled the installation. The surviving forces reportedly retreated toward Monguno, approximately 18 kilometres away, where a military garrison is located.

Borno State has been at the centre of Nigeria’s prolonged security crisis, which has involved more than 17 years of violence by Boko Haram and ISWAP, a faction that split from Boko Haram and later emerged as a rival armed group.

The ongoing conflict in northeastern Nigeria has killed thousands of people and displaced millions, while repeated attacks on military installations and civilian communities continue to deepen the region’s humanitarian and security challenges.