At least 47 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists were killed following a fierce clash between them and the regional Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) troops near Baga in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state.
ISWAP fighters launched a dawn attack on Monday against a base near Baga in the Lake Chad area, setting off fierce gun battles that killed 20 Nigerian and five Chadian troops. Intelligence further show that the fighters who attempted to flee after being overwhelmed were pursued by special forces troops delivering supplies to the base affirming the death toll on ISWAP’s side could be higher.
This week marks 10 years since the Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria began, and the assault near Baga was just one of a number of reported attacks in Borno state that came on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the death in police custody of Boko Haram founder Muhammad Yusuf.
Baga, which is a fishing town on the shores of Lake Chad and the larger lake region has been the stage of various ISWAP attacks. It is very strategically placed between the countries with various and well-equipped military bases and as such the overrunning of the military bases offers the insurgents military-grade weapons, vehicles, and other supplies to facilitate attacks elsewhere in Nigeria and neighbors.
