Soldier hurt as military fights off ISWAP assault on base

The Nigerian military said one soldier was hurt during a failed attack by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on a military base in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The soldier, whose name was not given, suffered a gunshot wound to his left arm and is getting treatment. This information came from a statement by Mohammed Goni, the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east.

Captain Goni explained that the terrorists tried to take over the military base on Monday, but the ground troops, including members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), fought back.

He noted that the ground troops received help from the air component of Operation Hadin Kai, which provided Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) during the attack.

This well-coordinated response forced the terrorists to pull back, “with casualties.”

“As the terrorists tried to flee after facing fierce resistance from ground troops, the air component carried out precision strikes on identified hostile elements, disrupting their escape and making it harder for them to regroup,” Goni said.

The military spokesperson added that “military positions across Pulka remained securely under the control of the security forces.”

He also praised the CJTF members who “played a vital supporting role during the operation by giving useful local information and helping the troops maintain situational awareness.”

Goni mentioned that troops did an “operation” to check the extent of battle damage, recover abandoned weapons, and gather intelligence to track down fleeing terrorists.

He said the coordinated response “showed the effectiveness of joint efforts in facing terrorist threats across the area.”

“Troops are still firmly deployed and on high alert across the area, with aggressive patrols, surveillance, and other offensive and defensive operations continuing to stop terrorist movements,” he said. “The military will keep the pressure on terrorists while taking necessary steps to protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.”

He urged the public to stay alert and share credible information with the troops.

ISWAP, a splinter group of Boko Haram, has stepped up attacks on military bases in recent years. But a joint operation with Nigerian and US troops has greatly weakened the group’s ability to launch attacks as they used to.

Despite this weakness, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) warned that the group might still carry out attacks in revenge for the deaths of its top commander, Abubakar Mainok, and other fighters.

Mr Mainok was killed along with some fighters by US and Nigerian troops after what the presidency described as months of tracking in Abuja and the Lake Chad area.