Jihadists affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) ambushed a patrol team of Nigerian security forces in Damboa, Borno State, killing two soldiers and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), security sources confirmed on Saturday.
According to military officials and a regional security report, ISWAP fighters attacked a convoy of troops, CJTF volunteers, and local hunters travelling on motorcycles in the area on Friday.
The assailants reportedly opened fire using heavy weapons, triggering a fierce gun battle.
A senior military officer, who requested anonymity, said:
“We lost two soldiers and two CJTF members in the ambush by ISWAP terrorists.”
The attack was reportedly targeted at a patrol led by a brigade commander.
A UN situation report seen by AFP also confirmed the fatalities, noting that 17 motorcycles were seized by the militants.
While the document initially indicated that several soldiers, including the commander, were unaccounted for, the commander eventually returned to the brigade headquarters in Damboa, about 90 km from Maiduguri.
The ambush highlights ISWAP’s continued threat in the region.
The group has recently escalated attacks on military positions using rocket-propelled grenades and suicide drones.
Despite ongoing clashes with rival faction Boko Haram, ISWAP retains significant operational capacity in parts of Borno and around Lake Chad.
ISWAP splintered from Boko Haram in 2016 over ideological disagreements and has since grown to become a dominant jihadist faction.
However, it has come under pressure recently: intelligence sources report that Boko Haram fighters killed nearly 200 ISWAP members in an attack near Lake Chad on Sunday.
The wider insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people since 2019, spilling into neighbouring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
Amid ongoing security challenges, Nigerians continue urging President Bola Tinubu to intensify military operations against insurgent groups.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Mohammed Idris said the Federal Government is holding talks with the United States following a recent military threat issued by U.S President Donald Trump, adding that ongoing diplomatic engagement is helping ease tensions.
