Jihadist suicide attack kills 27 Nigerian soldiers – Report
At least 27 Nigerian soldiers lost their lives in a jihadist suicide attack in the northeast, according to two military sources who spoke to AFP on Sunday.
The incident occurred on Friday when troops launched a ground offensive against Islamic State-affiliated militants in a remote area spanning Borno and Yobe states.
“The attack claimed 27 lives, including the unit commander, and left many others seriously injured,” one military officer confirmed, describing it as one of the deadliest suicide bombings targeting troops in recent years.
Another officer explained that the assault happened around 8:30 PM GMT under the cover of darkness, which hindered visibility for the soldiers. He added that the death toll might increase as some of the injured are in critical condition.
According to the sources, a suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives, concealed in dense vegetation, into a convoy of advancing soldiers near the Timbuktu Triangle, an area controlled by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The officers, who requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak on the matter, revealed that Nigerian military officials had yet to comment on the attack.
ISWAP, which split from Boko Haram in 2016, has become the dominant militant faction in the northeast, seizing territories like the Timbuktu Triangle and the Sambisa Forest, which serve as its strongholds. The group is infamous for deploying roadside bombs and using vehicles rigged with explosives to ambush military convoys.
The insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has persisted for 15 years, claiming around 40,000 lives and displacing approximately two million people. The violence has also spread to neighboring countries, including Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting the formation of a regional military coalition to combat the militants.
