At least nine Nigerian soldiers were killed and several others wounded on Sunday after their convoy struck a landmine and came under heavy gunfire in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, according to two security sources.
The attack occurred near Bindundul village, roughly 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the town of Kareto, an area known for the presence of fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). A military source from the Damasak brigade said the convoy was travelling through the area when it hit the explosive device, triggering an ambush.
Following the blast, gunmen opened fire on the soldiers, leading to multiple casualties. The injured were evacuated to a military medical facility for treatment, the sources said.
The region around Kareto has remained a stronghold for ISWAP fighters, who are known to operate with relative freedom and frequently set up illegal checkpoints along key routes. Attacks involving landmines and ambushes have become a recurring threat to military movements in the area.
Nigeria’s military has been battling Islamist insurgent groups in the northeast for more than a decade, a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people.
There was no immediate official statement from the Nigerian military at the time of publication.
