A roadside explosion and gunfire killed at least 15 people traveling with a military patrol in Nigeria’s Borno state, two unnamed soldiers told Reuters, amid continuing attacks on northeastern security forces.
Among those reported killed were 10 troops and five people from the Civilian Joint Task Force, a group that assists the military, the soldiers said. Reuters said it had not confirmed the casualty numbers beyond the soldiers’ accounts.
An assault on a Borno army base the previous week left at least 10 soldiers dead and at least 20 wounded, Reuters reported. The attackers in that assault were suspected Boko Haram fighters.
The latest patrol was from a battalion in Gamboru and was traveling between Gamboru Ngala and neighboring Cameroon on Saturday, the soldiers said. A pickup truck struck a mine they suspected Boko Haram had planted, killing eight soldiers. Gunfire directed at a second vehicle killed two more soldiers and the five task force members, according to their account.
The soldiers told Reuters that six wounded troops were brought to Maimalari Military Hospital in Maiduguri for treatment. Military spokesperson Capt. Mohammed Goni declined requests for comment, Reuters reported.
Borno’s insurgency involves Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, a faction that broke away from it. Both groups continue to attack troops and civilians in northeastern Nigeria and near its borders despite sustained military operations, Reuters reported.
