Malik Yahya & AFP/
In one of the deadliest ambushes in recent years, a jihadist suicide bomber killed 27 Nigerian soldiers, including a commanding officer, during a nighttime operation against militants in northeastern Nigeria.
Military sources confirmed the attack, which occurred Friday evening in the volatile Timbuktu Triangle, a stronghold of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The assault unfolded as troops advanced on ISWAP positions in the rugged borderlands between Borno and Yobe states.
Concealed by dense foliage, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden vehicle directly into the military convoy, unleashing a massive blast that left dozens dead and several critically injured.
“It was dark, which made it difficult for the troops to have a clear view of the surroundings,” said one military officer, adding that the death toll could rise as many wounded soldiers remain in critical condition.
This brazen attack highlights ISWAP’s increasingly sophisticated tactics, including their notorious use of roadside mines and rigged vehicles to target military operations.
The group, which split from Boko Haram in 2016, has seized large swathes of territory in the region, including the notorious Sambisa Forest.
The 15-year insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people, with violence spilling into neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
Despite regional military efforts, ISWAP continues to escalate its attacks, posing a formidable challenge to Nigerian and allied forces.
Nigerian military officials have yet to comment on the incident, but Friday’s attack underscores the urgent need for enhanced intelligence and tactical strategies in the fight against the insurgency.
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