At least 70 Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush by armed jihadist militants near the Gorgi village in Borno state on Monday. Their convoy struck was by rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
Military officers said, “The terrorists specifically targeted a truck loaded with soldiers with RPGs and incinerated the vehicle, killing all on board.” While 70 bodies have thus far been recovered, the death toll is sure to rise, given that the “rescue operation is still underway”.
The convoy was on its way to the village from the regional capital, Maiduguri, in order to launch an attack on a camp affiliated with the Islamic State (IS). The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is an offshoot of Boko Haram, after splitting from the group in 2016. It largely focuses on “attacking troops, raiding bases” and ambushing military convoys. However, it has also attacked civilians and taken hostages at ‘bogus checkpoints’.
This decade-long conflict left at least 36,000 people dead and displaced 1.8 million in northeastern Nigeria. The conflict has also expanded into neighboring countries, leading to the creation of a regional military coalition to combat militant groups in the region.
Although both the Islamic State and Boko Haram are active in the area, neither has thus far claimed responsibility for this latest attack.
Image Source: Fahamu
Nigerian Military Convoy Struck by Armed Jihadists, At Least 70 Soldiers Killed
March 25, 2020
