ISWAP Conducts Assault On Damasak, Fifth In 3 Weeks

Nigerian troops Friday evening pushed back an assault by members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on the garrison town of Damasak in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria.

Damasak, near the border with the Niger Republic, is about 180 kilometres Northwest of Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

The garrison town is also the capital of Mobbar Local Government in Northern Borno close to the shores of Lake Chad.

The March 26 attack was at least the fifth security incident and attack by ISWAP in about three weeks.

HumAngle had previously reported ISWAP audacious attacks including an incursion and fierce clashes that led humanitarian workers to escape through the Komadougou-Yobe river. That attack was thwarted by the military while some insurgents were killed although ISWAP was able to briefly gain access to the base.

 The group also claimed to have used a bomb-laden vehicle during the assault.

In another attack, insurgents burnt two humanitarian vehicles and hijacked another one after breaching the town’s security.

HumAngle understands that repeated assaults on Damasak could exhaust troops and undermine the security of the garrison town and badly needed humanitarian operation.

Council on Foreign Relations Security tracker estimates that more than 37,000 people have been killed, and millions have been displaced by the Boko Haram conflict.