At least 27 Nigerian soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing during a military operation targeting Islamic State-affiliated militants in the Northeast, military sources told AFP on Sunday.
The attack took place on Friday night during a ground offensive against insurgents in a wasteland straddling Borno and Yobe states.
According to one officer who spoke anonymously, “The suicide attack killed 27 soldiers, including the commander, and left several others seriously injured.”
Providing more details, another officer said, “It was dark, which made it difficult for the troops to have a clear view of the surroundings.”
The attack reportedly happened around 8:30 p.m., with the death toll expected to rise as some of the injured were in “critical condition.”
The officers explained that a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle, hidden in thick foliage, into a convoy of advancing troops targeting the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Timbuktu Triangle.
Nigerian military officials were unavailable for comment on the latest attack.
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