Nigerian troops repelled coordinated attacks by suspected Islamist militants on four military bases in Borno state, killing several fighters, including some of their leaders, the military said Friday.
The assaults, which lasted more than five hours between late Thursday and early Friday, targeted military locations in Konduga, Marte, Jakana and Mainok, according to the Joint Task Force in the country’s northeast.
Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, said the attacks began around 10:30 p.m. Thursday and continued until about 3 a.m. Friday.
“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai successfully thwarted coordinated terrorist attempts to overrun troops’ locations in Konduga, Marte, Jakana and Mainok,” Uba said in a statement.
He said soldiers held their positions despite intense fighting and later launched coordinated counterattacks with reinforcement teams from Sectors 1 and 2.
According to the military, the troops carried out flanking maneuvers that forced the attackers to retreat in disarray. In some cases where sections of the defensive perimeter were briefly breached, soldiers quickly counterattacked and regained control of their positions.
Uba said several militant leaders, including key “Amirs,” as well as other fighters, were killed during the clashes.
Some structures at the bases were damaged during the fighting, but all the locations remain under the control of the troops, he said.
The military also carried out overnight airstrikes in coordination with the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, targeting fleeing militants and suspected hostile positions.
Ground forces are continuing operations in the affected areas, recovering bodies of militants as well as weapons and other equipment, the statement said.
Uba added that several Nigerian soldiers were killed during the fighting, including an officer who died while leading his troops during the battle.
