Nigerian Army troops have successfully repelled a coordinated attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on a military base in Mairari, Borno State. The attack, which occurred late Friday night, was thwarted by the troops’ defensive fire systems, with no breach of the Forward Operating Base recorded .
The terrorists had deployed two Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) in an attempt to breach the base, but both vehicles were promptly detected and destroyed by alert troops. Several ISWAP fighters were killed during the confrontation, while others sustained serious injuries and were seen evacuating their dead and wounded from the battlefield .
A combined force of Sector 3 OPHK/MNJTF troops, the Theatre Command Quick Reaction Group, Nigeria Police Crack Team, and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) conducted an exploitation operation in the area, recovering multiple weapons and equipment abandoned by the fleeing terrorists .
The recovered items included AK-47 rifles, ammunition magazines, belts of PKT rounds, hand grenades, motorcycles, communication devices, combat gear, medical supplies, and other sustainment materials. This seizure is expected to significantly degrade the operational capability of the terrorists and limit their ability to launch further attacks in the area.
The military has intensified aggressive fighting patrols across the general area to prevent further terrorist incursions and reassure local communities of ongoing military presence and protection. The situation at the Forward Operating Base Mairari remains calm, with troops maintaining dominance of the area .
The successful defense of the base is seen as another setback for ISWAP’s operations in the North-East, and the Nigerian military has reiterated its commitment to ending insurgency and terrorism in the nation.