TheCable

Three soldiers were reportedly killed while repelling an ambush on their convoy by the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) in Borno state.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, reported that ten soldiers were injured during the attack in Abadam on Sunday. 

The publication said the troops were on a clearance operation against the terror group before running into a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).

A VBIED is a vehicle which contains and delivers an explosive device to a target.

Sources in the military said the troops successfully repelled the attack despite the casualties.

The sources said one of the VBIEDs hit a mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle belonging to troops of the Niger Republic while another one hit a Hilux truck.

“This attack comes in less than 24 hours after the troops thwarted a similar attack in Arege resulting in the killing of 10 ISWAP terrorists and the destruction of their three vehicles,” one of the military sources said.

“The ISWAP terrorist made an audacious attempt to infiltrate the advancing troops’ harbour using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), but was instantly naturalised.”

The wounded personnel were said to have been evacuated for treatment.