7 Soldiers, 43 Terrorists Die In Gun Battle At MNJTF Base

At least 43 members of the ISWAP terror group were killed in a gun battle that also took the lives of seven soldiers of the multinational joint task force (MNJTF) on Wednesday morning, Aug. 25, officials said. 

The military authority said MNJTF troops stationed in Diffa province of Niger Republic came under attack by the terrorists who stormed their Sector 4 base in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The attack was launched at the time the newly appointed Commander of the MNJTF, Major General Khalifa Ibrahim was visiting the troops’ location for the first time.

Colonel Mohammed Dole, a spokesman of the joint task force commended the troopers for preventing the base from being overwhelmed. 

He said about 40 of the attackers died, even though seven of the troops lost their lives.

“Troops of the Sector deployed in Baroua came under heavy attack by suspected BHT/ISWAP criminals in the small hours of Wednesday 25 Aug. 2021,” Col. Dole said in a statement released to the press. 

“At the end of the encounter, a total of Forty-Three (43) dead bodies of BHT/ISWAP insurgents were scattered around the engagement areas.”

Colonel Dole said an unnamed leader of the terrorists was caught alive. 

“Large cache of arms, ammunitions were recovered, and four enemy gun trucks were destroyed,” he added. 

While praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased soldiers whom he described as martyrs of freedom, he condoled with the family of the deceased and wished the wounded soldiers speedy recovery.