About 15 soldiers have been reportedly killed by bandits in an ambush in Faskari, Katsina State on Saturday.
The deceased officers on Operation Sahel Sanity were killed in Jibia, Jibia Local Government Area of the state.
A military source said, “The bandits attacked the troops of 72 Para Battalion while on patrol at Shimfida on Saturday. The ambush was bloody as the troops came under overwhelming firepower from the criminals. But the troops were able to resist the bandits killing 17 of them. Unfortunately, we lost 15 men comprising three officers and 12 soldiers.”
The soldiers were attacked from a hill by the bandits.
“Troops were advancing on foot when bandits began engaging them from the hill,” the military source said.
However, the Army said that only three soldiers lost their lives in the confrontation, noting that 17 of the bandits were killed.
The acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig. Gen. Benard Onyeuko, in a statement on Sunday, disclosed that five AK47 rifles, three dane guns, two AK47 rifle magazines, 152 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and seven motorcycles were recovered from the fleeing bandits.
“Regrettably, one brave officer and two gallant soldiers paid the supreme price while four other soldiers were wounded in action. However, the wounded in action soldiers are currently responding positively to treatment in a military medical facility,” he noted.
Kastina State has experienced series of attacks with over 300 deaths this year alone usually by suspected bandits.
