Suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly killed about 15 soldiers in an attack on a military base in Mairari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

Military sources told SaharaReporters that the attack occurred on Tuesday, with the insurgents storming the military formation in large numbers and engaging troops in a gun battle that lasted several hours.

One of the sources said several soldiers were killed during the assault, while others remained missing after the attackers overran the base.

“Many soldiers were killed and many are still missing after the attack,” the source said.

Another military source confirmed the incident, stating that about 15 soldiers were killed, while several others sustained injuries and were evacuated for medical attention.

The attack reportedly left the military installation extensively damaged, with makeshift shelters, defensive positions and vehicles destroyed.

Videos obtained by SaharaReporters showed burnt shelters constructed with corrugated iron sheets, destroyed sandbag defences and other structures reduced to ruins.

Other footage showed several military gun trucks and Hilux vehicles burnt beyond recognition, with their charred remains scattered across the sandy terrain.

A motorcycle was also seen abandoned in an open field as troops and local residents inspected the site at dawn.

The footage appeared to show extensive destruction at the base, although the full extent of the damage and the circumstances surrounding the attack could not be independently established from the available information.

Efforts by SaharaReporters to obtain comments from military authorities were unsuccessful as of the time of its report.

Mairari is located near Gajiram, the headquarters of Nganzai Local Government Area, but falls administratively under Guzamala LGA.

The two local government areas are among the locations in northern Borno affected by persistent insurgent attacks, with ISWAP and Boko Haram maintaining a presence in the region.

The latest incident comes amid renewed attacks on military positions in northern Borno.

On October 10, the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai said it had conducted a precision airstrike on an ISWAP enclave at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala LGA.

The military claimed that more than 40 fighters, including a commander, were neutralised during the operation while they were preparing to attack troops in Sector 3.

Similarly, on October 7, troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion in Kukawa Local Government Area reportedly repelled a coordinated attack launched from four directions.

The Nigerian Army said more than 25 terrorists were killed in the encounter, while acknowledging that some soldiers also lost their lives.

Borno State remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s more than 17-year jihadist insurgency, which has killed thousands of people and displaced millions across the Lake Chad region.

Although the military has repeatedly reported successes against insurgent groups, continued assaults on military formations highlight the persistent security challenges facing troops and communities in the northeastern region.

The reported casualty figure from the Mairari attack had not been officially confirmed by military authorities at the time of publication.