Islamic State’s West African branch claimed responsibilty for an attack on a Nigerian army base in northeastern Borno state and said its fighters had killed 20 soldiers, Reuters is reporting.
The assault, which raised questions about government claims to have almost defeated the insurgents, took place in the town of Kareto on Wednesday.
The barracks were burnt and a tank destroyed, Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) said in a statement published on the SITE Intelligence website.
Security sources had said earlier that the base, home to the from the Nigerian Army’s 158th Battalion and 130 km (80 miles) from the state capital Maiduguri, had been overun and the commander killed.
After the assault, the militants left Kareto, but remained in the area, the sources said.
The Nigerian Army did not respond to requests for comment.
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