So Sad!!! Six Nigerian soldiers killed in Boko Haram raid

At least six soldiers were killed in heavy
fighting when Boko Haram raided a
military base and looted food from
villagers in northeast Nigeria , the
military and locals said on Wednesday.

Jihadists in six pick - up trucks stormed
the base in Sasawa village , some 45
kilometres (28 miles ) from the Yobe state
capital , Damaturu , at about 5 : 00 pm on
Tuesday.

Colonel Kayode Ogunsanya told AFP from
Damaturu: “ There was an attack by Boko
Haram terrorists on a military location in
Sasawa village which led to casualties on
both sides .”

He gave no further details but a local
chief in the area said: “ Six soldiers died
in the attack along with several Boko
Haram fighters.

“ Heavy fighting broke out and continued
till midnight ,” he said on condition of
anonymity for fear of reprisals.

“ When the gunmen realised they would
be subdued , they sent for reinforcements
and more fighters arrived in three
trucks .”

They overran the base, forcing the
soldiers to withdraw.

Rebel fighters then moved into the
village, which had been deserted by
residents to escape the fighting.

Another local resident , Aisami Gremah ,
supported the chief ’s account.

He added : “ They (Boko Haram) loaded
grains from the recent harvest into the
pick - up trucks and moved towards
Kareto and Magumeri in neighbouring
Borno state.”

Crops that had been left out to dry on
farms outside nearby Tungushe village
were set on fire , he said.

Boko Haram attacks on military bases
were a frequent tactic as the group
gained in size and strength, using the
weapons and ammunition seized to
capture swathes of territory in the
northeast in 2013 and 2014.

But such attacks and hit - and- run raids on
remote villages have drastically reduced
in Yobe state since the start of a military
counter - offensive in early 2015, which
the government maintains has left the
jihadists a spent force.

Sporadic attacks are still a feature of the
conflict , which has claimed at least
20,000 lives and made more than 2 .6
million homeless since 2009.

In February the jihadists attacked the
same military base in Sasawa , killing two
civilians.

In August , two livestock traders were
killed and three others were seriously
wounded after they triggered a landmine
as they fled a Boko Haram ambush.

In Borno state , civilians remain
vulnerable from suicide attacks : on
Sunday, 14 people were killed in a triple
bomb attack in the state capital ,
Maiduguri.

There has also been a spate of attacks
against the military since the end of the
rainy season in September.

On October 18, at least three soldiers
were killed when Boko Haram fighters
ambushed a military convoy near the
Borno town of Damboa.

On October 13, one soldier was killed and
nine others were wounded in an attack
on a military base in the town of Marte ,
near the shores of Lake Chad.