An
unknown number of Nigerian soldiers are yet to be accounted for after an ambush
by Boko Haram insurgents in a community in Borno State, the army has said.
The
army said it was battling to save the lives of 19 other soldiers injured during
the clash on Thursday.
Operatives of the Civilian-JTF, embedded with the military squad, were also badly injured in the deadly encounter in a village called Nguro Gongon.
Operatives of the Civilian-JTF, embedded with the military squad, were also badly injured in the deadly encounter in a village called Nguro Gongon.
The
spokesman of the Nigeria army, Sani Usman, said the injured soldiers have been
evacuated to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, while a rescue team was
deployed to go searching for the missing soldiers.
He
did not say how many soldiers were missing.
“Today
morning, troops on clearance patrol at Guro Gongon village and environs to rout
out remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hibernating therein, destroyed the
terrorists’ makeshift camps and recovered quite a number of weapons, equipment
and foodstuff in the process,” Mr. Usman, a colonel and acting director of army
public relations, said.
“The
recovered items include 1 Gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft Gun, a MOWAG
Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, 1 Light
Machine Gun, 3 AK-47 rifles and motorcycles.
“However,
the gallant soldiers basking on the recorded success, returning to their
defensive locations, ran into an ambush by a group of Boko Haram terrorists who
came to reinforce their fleeing comrades. The troops fought back gallantly
killing several of the insurgents.
“Sadly
however, 19 soldiers and 3 civilian JTF members were wounded in action while a
few others were missing in action.
“The
wounded have been evacuated and are responding to treatment, while a search and
rescue party comprising of Special Forces personnel has since been dispatched
to establish contact with the missing in action troops, some of whom, as at the
time of filing this report, have started returning to their defensive location.
“It
is pertinent to state that, no stone would be left unturned until every person
involved in the operation has been accounted for,” he said.
-Premium Times
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