Jihadists suspected to be from the Islamic State in West Africa stormed a military base in northeastern Nigeria before being bombed by the air force, which announced on Monday the killing of "key leaders" in the group. The jihadists arrived in twelve pickup trucks to the town of Dikwa in Borno State and expelled the troops stationed at the base after prolonged fighting. Nigerian army spokesperson Mohammed Yerima stated, "The terrorists attacked the town in large numbers while residents were having their Ramadan breakfast," adding, "The troops withdrew to the nearby town of Gulumba Jana to allow for air operations."
After intensive bombing, the Nigerian army confirmed the re-establishment of control over Dikwa and the killing of some "key leaders" in the jihadist group. A soldier who preferred to remain anonymous told AFP, "The terrorists attacked the town from both sides in light vehicles mounted with machine guns." Witnesses reported that residents fled through the fields, with many heading to Ajiri, 20 kilometers away, while others hid in the forest. He mentioned that "Abu Mondo, one of the leaders of the organization, was killed along with Hajji Ghana and Abu عثمان in the bombing."
Dikwa is located 90 kilometers from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, and is home to over 130,000 people, nearly half of whom are displaced from other areas of the region and live in camps, relying on food assistance from humanitarian organizations. The city is regularly targeted by attacks. On March 1, jihadists launched a very violent attack, particularly targeting UN facilities, disrupting the distribution of aid and food supplies.
Last week, the group carried out a series of deadly attacks in Damasak, a strategic city on the shores of Lake Chad near the border with Nigeria and Niger, forcing all relief workers to leave the town and displacing over 65,000 people. Northeast Nigeria has been witnessing bloody conflict since 2009, with attacks by the Islamic group Boko Haram resulting in approximately 36,000 deaths and the displacement of two million people. In 2016, a faction of Boko Haram split off and became active under the name "Islamic State's West Africa Province." President Muhammadu Buhari (78), facing severe criticism for his handling of the country's security situation, has vowed to crush the jihadists.
