Dozens have been killed in clashes that broke out following a jihadist attack on a military base in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria, according to information gathered by Agence France-Presse (AFP) from local officials and military sources.
Jihadists from the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), a splinter group of Boko Haram, attacked a military outpost in Koukaoua, near Lake Chad, on the night of Tuesday into Wednesday, leading to a “four-hour firefight,” according to a military source cited by AFP.
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The jihadists fled under fire from fighter jets, but “stole weapons” from the base, the military source told AFP. The source clarified that at least 10 soldiers were killed and another 13 were wounded during the clashes. According to a statement from the Nigerian army, at least 25 jihadists were killed.
The jihadist insurgency, which has plagued Africa’s most populous country for 17 years, has subsided compared to its peak a decade ago, but violence has surged over the past two years. The past year was marked by a wave of attacks on military installations, with the perpetrators temporarily seizing bases and looting weapons and equipment.
The deteriorating security situation in Nigeria and economic problems are at the heart of the election campaign ahead of the elections to be held in January 2027.
