The Nigerian military has announced the results of a recent clash with Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which occurred last Saturday in the Borno region. The conflict highlights the ongoing cycle of violence and instability that continues to plague the region and expose the failures of current approaches.

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According to military spokesperson, Major General Edward Buba, the attack was triggered by a militant ambush on the Sabon Gari military base. The fighting resulted in the deaths of six Nigerian soldiers, while three militants were reportedly killed.

Buba stated that the attack was in retaliation for the recent elimination of some militant leaders by ground forces.

Buba reported that the returning patrol “thwarted their attack as soon as the assault started.” A reinforcement team comprised of the Joint Civil Force, vigilantes, and hybrid forces also arrived in time to subdue the militants. Buba also mentioned that a commander was injured by an improvised explosive device.

Nigerian troops recovered 23 Kalashnikov assault rifles, as well as hundreds of boxes of special ammunition.

Since 2009, Nigeria has been a target of Boko Haram, with ISWAP joining the conflict in 2016. Both groups, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, aim to establish a caliphate in Nigeria and throughout West Africa.

Boko Haram and ISWAP have been responsible for the deaths of over 35,000 people and have displaced approximately 2.7 million, mainly within Nigeria, but also in neighboring countries like Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.

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