Militants of the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, have killed two policemen and a soldier during an ambush in Borno State.

Multiple military sources told SaharaReporters that the attack took place in Malam Fatori, the headquarters of Abadam Local Government Area of the state.

The dead officers were said to be members of a joint security team conducting clearance operations in the community.

An unspecified number of soldiers and policemen also sustained injuries in the attack while several weapons and ammunition belonging to the team were taken away, one of the sources said.

He said the insurgents in their hundreds ambushed the team who were on a clearance patrol in the area.

The attack comes a few weeks after the insurgents killed over 25 soldiers who were also on patrol in the Monguno area of Borno State.

Monguno is North, about 70km drive from Maiduguri, the state capital, and hosts thousands of Internally Displaced Persons mostly from Dikwa and Marte council areas.

“At least 25 soldiers have been confirmed dead, the authorities have contacted some of their families, their bodies are already deposited at the morgue,” a source had told SaharaReporters.

Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, have killed thousands and displaced millions in North-Eastern Nigeria.

The Nigerian military has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency had been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.

In the past months, soldiers have been targeted by insurgents.

Over 500 soldiers and officers have been reportedly killed since January 2021.

At least 33 soldiers were killed early in the year when two vehicles loaded with explosives rammed into a military convoy in Wulgo.

The suicide bombers were identified as Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Bana Jundullah. The group also claimed four military vehicles were destroyed.

In February, about 20 soldiers were also killed in Malari, Borno State by the insurgents.

SaharaReporters gathered that the soldiers were on patrol to clear some Boko Haram elements in the area following a credible intelligence when they were ambushed by the group.

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