TheCable

Nigerian soldiers have reportedly repelled an attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Monguno, Borno state.

The insurgents were said to have invaded the town around 8:30pm on Friday with trucks, motorcycles and heavy weapons, shooting sporadically. 

An intelligence officer reportedly told Zagazola Makama, a counter insurgency expert and security analyst, that the troops engaged the insurgents in a gun battle which lasted until 11:30pm.

The insurgents were said to have suffered many casualties in the process.

The intelligence officer reportedly said the troops repelled a similar attack on the town on Thursday around 2 am when the insurgents attempted to attack troop formation in Abbari Kasuwan Shani.

He said the troops who were already alerted of the insurgents’ movement, engaged them and killed six of them while others escaped with bullet wounds. 

He said one soldier was killed during the gun battle.

The officer said ISWAP later mobilised a number of fighters on 12 motorcycles and six guntrucks from Marte and Kukawa for a reprisal attack.

He said their attempt was met with stiff resistance as troops of Operation Hadin Kai killed scores of them, forcing others to flee.