Seven more bodies have been found after a
Boko Haram raid on a military camp in northeast Nigeria, a security source told
AFP on Friday.
Militant fighters stormed the base at Sasawa
village, some 45 kilometres from the Yobe state capital, Damaturu, on Tuesday,
in the third such attack on the military in two weeks.
The Nigerian Army has confirmed the attack
and said only there were “casualties on both sides”.
But a military source said: “So far, 15
bodies of soldiers killed in the attack at Sasawa have been recovered,
including that of an officer.
“Seven more bodies were found in the course of search and rescue operations by
27 Brigade and 233 Battalion. More (soldiers) are still missing and their fate
is unknown.”
The source, who asked not to be identified as
he was not authorised to talk to the media, said Boko Haram fighters took away
two pick-up trucks equipped with anti-aircraft guns.
According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the
raid was claimed by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).
That indicates fighters loyal to Abu Mus’ab
al-Barnawi were responsible. IS designated al-Barnawi leader of the group last
year instead of long-time figurehead Abubakar Shekau.
The al-Barnawi faction is known to have been
operating just across the border in Borno state and has been blamed for a
number of similar raids.
In July, 19 soldiers and 33 militia members
were among 69 killed in a Boko Haram attack on a heavily armed convoy of oil
exploration workers in the Magumeri area of Borno.
Tuesday’s attack in Yobe also saw Boko Haram
fighters seize grain from food stores in the village after a six-hour firefight
with troops.
Security analysts have suggested the increase
in attacks on military posts is linked to the end of the rainy season plus the
need to restock depleted supplies of food and weapons.
Source: GuardianNG
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