MAIDUGURI, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Islamist militants killed
nine Nigerian soldiers in an attack on a military base in the
northeast of the country, three soldiers and an official from a
security agency said on Wednesday.
A decade-long insurgency in the northeast, started by
Islamist group Boko Haram in 2009, has claimed more than 30,000
lives. A breakaway faction that pledges allegiance to Islamic
State has become the dominant group in the insurgency, carrying
out attacks on military bases over the past year.
The soldiers and security officer, all of whom spoke on
condition of anonymity, said Islamist militants attacked troops
on Tuesday at a military base in Gudumbali - a town in Borno,
the state worst hit by the insurgency.
They said nine soldiers were killed in the attack and 27
were missing.
"We repelled the attack," said Nigerian Army spokesman Sagir
Musa. He said he was not aware of any soldiers being killed or
having gone missing.