Damboa, Nigeria – An early morning assault by militants linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on a Nigerian army base in Borno State’s Damboa Local Government Area resulted in the deaths of six soldiers on Sunday. According to military officials, the terrorists, armed with heavy weaponry, launched their strike just before dawn, overpowering the military personnel stationed there.
Military insiders, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media, stated that the attack involved a combination of truck-mounted and motorcycle-borne assailants. They managed to not only breach the army defenses but also set the base and several military vehicles ablaze.
As the situation escalated, the Nigerian forces found themselves outmatched and were compelled to retreat. The insurgents’ withdrawal was later met with air strikes from jets scrambled from Maiduguri, roughly 100 kilometers away. These strikes reportedly inflicted severe losses on the militants, destroying their vehicles and equipment, though exact figures on militant casualties remain undisclosed.
The impact of the attack extended beyond the military losses. A local school utilized temporarily by the military was among the facilities torched. Umar Wakil, a resident of the area, indicated that the attackers appeared well-coordinated and caught the soldiers off guard. He shared a personal loss, noting that several of the victims were new recruits, familiar faces from the community.
“The attack seemed targeted, focusing strictly on the military presence. Civilians were fortunately spared,” Wakil added, highlighting a focused aggression towards the armed forces without direct harm to non-combatant locals.
A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force, who chose to remain nameless for security reasons, mentioned that despite the chaos, civilian casualties were avoided. He confirmed that the raid was swift, beginning just after dusk and concluding before dawn, leaving behind a scene of destruction primarily affecting the military installations.
Efforts to obtain official comments from military spokespeople were unsuccessful. Queries remained unanswered by the time of reporting. Similarly, the regional police spokesperson was not informed about the incident.
This violence is part of a broader surge of militant activities in northern Nigeria, where groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP frequently clash with military and civilian targets alike. The ongoing conflict, which escalated in 2009, has since claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced millions, underscoring a persistent and troubling security challenge in the region.
In light of these developments, the attack in Damboa serves as a stark reminder of the volatile security situation in parts of Nigeria, particularly in areas where military and insurgent forces frequently intersect. Despite the efforts of the Nigerian government and international allies, the path to peace remains fraught with setbacks such as this recent assault.