Deadly Ambush in Damask: 9 Soldiers Killed and Dozens Missing in ISIS Attack in Northeast Nigeria

At least 9 Nigerian soldiers were killed and over a dozen remain missing following a brutal ambush by ISIS-West Africa Province (ISWAP) near the town of Damask in Borno State. The insurgents targeted a foot patrol of over 30 personnel with heavy weaponry and explosives near the Niger border, forcing the unit to scatter under intense fire.

This attack unfolds as the Nigerian military escalates ground operations in the Sambisa Forest, a long-standing extremist stronghold. With the conflict claiming over 40,000 lives and displacing 2 million people since 2009, this latest ambush highlights the persistent threat of insurgent "hit-and-run" tactics despite ongoing military offensives in the Lake Chad region.