Islamist insurgents overrun Nigerian army base in northeast -security sources

By Ola Lanre
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, June 13 (Reuters) - Islamist insurgents
overran a Nigerian army base in the country's northeast, killing
at least the commander, two Nigerian security sources said on
Thursday.
Militants on Wednesday took a Nigerian army base at the
village of Kareto in northeastern Borno state, some 130
kilometres from state capital Maiduguri, the security sources
said.
No other details about possible further casualties were
available.
Nigerian army spokespeople did not immediately respond to
requests for comment.
The latest development is at odds with the Nigerian
military's public statements as recently as Monday that their
campaigns against Boko Haram and Islamic State's West African
branch are making "major breakthroughs", statements that
frequently describe the insurgents as "remnants".
It was not immediately clear whether the attackers were
affiliated with Boko Haram or Islamic State.
The insurgents were said to have overrun troops from the
Nigeria Army's 158th Battalion stationed at Kareto, killing at
least their commanding officer and causing the remaining
soldiers to flee, one security source said.
After the assault, the militants left Kareto, but remained
in the area, they said.
President Muhammadu Buhari in his second-term inaugural
speech on Wednesday said Nigeria was meeting security challenges
"with much greater support to the security forces in terms of
money, equipment and improved local intelligence". Nigeria's government has said the Boko Haram insurgency, and
the rival Islamic State West Africa Province group, are on their
last legs.
But sustained efforts to eradicate the militants have failed
and the military continues to suffer heavy losses.
The insurgency has killed over 30,000 people and displaced
millions of civilians in affected areas.