ISWAP fighters repel in Diffa, eight security personnel, civilians injured
By: Zagazola Makama
The Nigerien town of Diffa came under a large-scale attack by fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the early hours of Friday, leaving at least eight personnel of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) and several civilians injured.
Local sources told Zagazola Makama that the coordinated assault began around 2:30 a.m. and lasted until 5 a.m., on Friday with intense gunfire reported across several neighborhoods of the city.
It was the most daring attack the city has witnessed in over a decade, as the insurgents infiltrated multiple urban areas in a surprise offensive.
Despite the scale of the attack, the FDS was able to repel the assailants after a fierce engagement that residents described as “decisive and courageous.”
A preliminary assessment confirmed that eight FDS operatives sustained varying degrees of injuries, along with several civilians caught in the crossfire. A military vehicle was also reported to have been taken by the attackers during their retreat.
