11 soldiers killed as gunmen attack military base in Birnin Gwari
Story from Saleh INUWA, Kano
On Monday, 11 soldiers were said to have been killed in the Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State, during an attack by armed bandits.
The gunmen who came in large numbers were said to have invaded the military base at Polwire village and engaged the troops in a fierce gun battle causing damage and some tanks were also destroyed.
Military sources told the media that the bandits came on motorcycles and carried heavy weapons including Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG). The fight was said to have lasted for about two hours before the soldiers were dislodged.
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“We lost 11 men while 19 soldiers were wounded in action after they overwhelmed the troops. They also burnt down three Armoured Personel Carriers (APC) after they overwhelmed the troops,” one of the military sources said.
The gunmen were also said to have gone away with several weapons from the troops. It was noted that the wounded soldiers were evacuated to Birnin Gwari General Hospital and 271 Nigerian Airforce Medical Center while those who were killed have been evacuated to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna (44 NARHK) in Kaduna.
Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army spokesperson, was not available to comment on the attack. In the past recent months, there have been a series of attacks on Kaduna communities, including military bases.
The attack on the military base comes days after gunmen attacked a train in Kaduna, which left several people dead and scores injured.
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