Suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) launched an attack on Doron Baga, a fishing community on the shores of Lake Chad, less than 24 hours after reportedly overrunning a military camp in nearby Kukawa town.
The insurgents, said to be heavily armed and in large numbers, stormed the town at about 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, firing sporadically as they advanced toward a military base located in the area.
According to a security source who spoke to The News Chronicle on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media, troops of the Nigerian Army engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle that lasted for approximately three hours.
The troops were eventually able to repel the insurgents after intense exchanges of gunfire.
However, the source confirmed that one soldier was killed in action, while five civilians sustained varying degrees of injuries during the confrontation and are currently receiving medical treatment.
The latest assault occurred shortly after insurgents reportedly attacked a military facility in Kukawa town, where a commanding officer and several soldiers were said to have been killed.
During that earlier attack, troops were forced to temporarily withdraw from the base, allowing the insurgents to gain access to the facility.
The attackers reportedly set several military vehicles ablaze and looted weapons from the camp before fleeing the area.
The renewed wave of attacks underscores the persistent security challenges confronting communities across parts of northeastern Nigeria, where insurgent groups continue to stage assaults despite ongoing military operations in the region.
Details later….
