Four Nigerian troops killed in militant attack

KANO, Nigeria: Four Nigerian soldiers have been killed in an attack by IS-affiliated militants in the country´s restive northeast, two security sources told AFP Thursday.

Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in trucks fitted with machine guns late Wednesday launched a "surprise attack" on troops in Auno village, 25 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, they said. "Four soldiers were killed in the attack and seven were injured," said the first security source.

Another security official confirmed the attack. "The terrorists came through the bush at the rear instead of the usual highway, taking troops by surprise," said the source who gave the same casualty toll. The militants were said to have overwhelmed the troops, and went into the village, looting and burning shops before withdrawing.

It was not immediately clear whether the militants suffered any casualties. ISWAP, which split from Boko Haram in 2016 has intensified attacks against the military since the middle of 2018, repeatedly carrying out deadly strikes against soldiers.