TheNewsGuru

Tag: soldiers

  • 3 soldiers, 60 militants killed after gov’t troops repel attack

    The Afghan security forces repelled an attack by Taliban on Shiberghan city, capital of Afghanistan’s Northern Jawzjan province on Friday, killing and injuring dozens of militants, local police said.

    Sporadic fighting started early Friday when dozens of Taliban militants armed with guns and heavy weapons entered from two directions in the South and East of the city, provincial police officer Abobakar Jilani told Xinhua.

    “The Afghan army and police backed by local public uprising fighters repelled the attackers and prevented them from advancing to the central part of the city,’’ he said.

    The Afghan air force conducted several airstrikes on militants’ positions on the outskirts of the city, 390 km to the North of national capital Kabul, Ghani Nizami from the Afghan National Army told Xinhua.

    “Within the past 24 hours, 60 militants have been killed and many others wounded.

    “The army personnel will soon reopen two provincial highways which connect Shiberghan city with neighbouring Balkh and Sari Pul provinces,’’ he said.

    Taliban militants have not responded to the reports so far.

  • Nigerian military retires 343 soldiers

    Nigerian military retires 343 soldiers

    The Nigerian military on Friday retired 357 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) from service.

    The retirees comprised 258 from the Nigerian Army (NA), 70 from the Nigerian Navy (NN) and 15 from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) who have either reached statutory age of retirement or have attained 35 years of service.

    They were disengaged from service at a well-attended function held at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), where they underwent a six-month pre-retirement training to prepare them for life outside the uniform.

    Addressing the retirees, the Chief of Defence General, Gen. Lucky Irabor, reminded them their passing out parade signified a setting dusk in their distinguished military career, as well as a testimony of their determination, commitment and discipline.

    Irabor, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Rear Admiral George Eyo, said the pre-retirement course was designed to give trainees the requisite rudiments for a successful reintegration into civil life after a meritorious service to the country.

    “It is our hope that on completion of this training, our gallant discharging servicemen and women seated here today will apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired and by so doing, comfortably enjoy the post service life,” he said.

    He urged the retirees to remain good ambassadors of the Armed Forces, maintain highest level of integrity and ensure they contributed towards nation building as they go about their businesses.

    “You will from now on take full charge as planners and executors of your personal daily activities. This may sound exciting and promising but beware; you need to properly manage your freedom in order to be successful.

    “The society will expect a high moral standard and discipline from you. You will also have to prove in your relationships that you passed through a highly disciplined system. As our well-grounded ambassadors, I believe you are all capable of excelling in your future endeavors and positively influence your environment for the economic development of our dear country.”

    The CDS urged them to put to good use, the various entrepreneurial, business development and management skills they had learnt at NAFRC for economically productive and successful life after retirement.

    Earlier, NAFRC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Adamu Idris, said the centre has trained about 50,000 personnel since inception, adding that other Nigerians have also benefited from trainings at the centre.

    At the event were security chiefs and heads of government agencies in Lagos, including the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Fejokwu, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, and Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sunday Makinde.

  • Three soldiers, seven ISWAP fighters feared killed in Damboa Village attack

    Three soldiers, seven ISWAP fighters feared killed in Damboa Village attack

    Three soldiers and seven members of the factional Boko Haram sect were feared dead on Tuesday evening in Kwamdi Village of Gumsuri Ward, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, local sources said on Wednesday.

    A top military source told newsmen the fighters arrived in the evening to fight the soldiers’ position in order to move their weapons into the Sambisa Forest.

    “The military location is around their areas of passage and they have been denied operations along that axis for a while now only to resume probably because they are carrying heavy weapons and could not afford going through Damboa axis.

    “Locals who saw them confirmed that they’re carrying heavy weapons aside from the ones they carted away from the soldiers who abandoned their base when they were being overwhelmed,” Our source added.

    Another source, who identified himself as Ibrahim Wabar from Damboa said currently, military helicopters are hovering around the villages and over the forest.

    “Here inside Damboa is peaceful but we are also hearing of the attack on the military base in Kwamdi Village. We heard that three soldiers and seven ISWAP fighters were killed in battle Wednesday before the soldiers withdrew,” he said

    Also a member of local vigilante in Damboa, Ba’ana Kura Alkali said that they were told that after the soldiers withdrew, the militants carted away weapons and set the military camp ablaze.

    “Some of the returnees who returned to Damboa Town after Wednesday’s incident reported that the insurgents did not attack civilians,” he added.

    Damboa local government area located in the Southern Borno with a distance of 87km from Maiduguri had been attacked severally by Boko Haram/ISWAP elements.

    The Army is yet to comment on the attack on one of its bases in Damboa, and all efforts to reach the Spokesman of the 7 Div, Col Ado Isa proved abortive at press time.

  • Soldiers kill DSS operative in Ekiti

    Soldiers kill DSS operative in Ekiti

    The Ekiti State Police Command have confirmed the killing of an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS) by three soldiers.

    The Spokesman of the Police Command, Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, described the killing as unfortunate and mindless.

    Abutu said the gory incident occurred on Friday evening at a hotel located along NTA road in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital during an argument that ensued between some soldiers and a DSS official, leading to the death of the latter.

    He noted that the Command had begun an investigation to unravel circumstances surrounding the incident, adding that the deceased corpse had been deposited in the morgue.

    An eye-witness who spoke on condition of anonymity told our reporter that the DSS operatives was stabbed in the neck and bled profusely, leading to his death.

    He explained that the incident happened as a result of a hot argument between the soldiers and the DSS staff after they arrested a young boy suspected to be an internet fraudster inside the hostel.

    “As the soldiers who were inside the hotel had stopped the young man they suspected to be a ‘yahoo boy’ and interrogating him, the young man saw the DSS operative on a bike and beckoned on him for rescue.

    “When the DSS got to the soldiers, a hot argument ensued between them and one of the soldiers became so angry that he drew out a knife and stabbed DSS operatives in the neck.

    “The DSS man fell immediately and started bleeding. The people inside the hotel drinking had to run for their lives, in fact, they hurriedly fled the scene to prevent being arrested,” the source said.

    He further added that few minutes after the tragic incident occurred, about six gun-wielding DSS operatives stormed the hotel and whisked the soldiers away to their custody.

  • Boko Haram terrorists attack Borno town, kill residents, two soldiers

    Boko Haram terrorists attack Borno town, kill residents, two soldiers

    An attack by Boko Haram terrorists has left some residents killed in Ajiri town in Borno State, north-east Nigeria.

    The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, confirmed the attack on the town in a statement on Monday, but he did not give the actual number of locals killed by the terrorists.

    He noted that insurgents on a criminal mission carried out the attack on Ajiri in Konduga Local Government Area (LGA) of the state on Sunday.

    Yerima added that the terrorists burned nine houses in parts of the town before they were engaged by the troops of Operation Hadin Kai deployed in the area.

    “The retreating terrorists went away with various degrees of gunshot injuries while the gallant troops are on their chase.

    “Unfortunately, however, two personnel paid the supreme price in the resulting encounter,” said the army spokesman who did not state whether any of the insurgents was killed by the soldiers.

    He explained that the attack on Ajiri came a day after troops successfully thwarted an attempt by the terrorists to infiltrate Rann – a town that serves as the headquarters of Kala Balge LGA of the state.

    The terrorists, in their numbers, were said to have attempted to disrupt the peace in the border town on Saturday last week.

    They were, however, met with stiff resistance as the soldiers in the area took them on a fierce firefight that lasted about an hour.

    Following the gunfight, the insurgents withdrew in disarray with a large number of them suffering fatal injuries, leaving behind several weapons and ammunition.

    Yerima listed some of the items recovered by the troops to include an anti-aircraft gun barrel, an AK 47 rifle, a hand-held communication radio, and different calibres of ammunition, among others.

    In his reaction, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, commended the troops for their resilience and determination to keep their areas free of terrorist activities.

    He also urged them not to be distracted by the progress made but to sustain the renewed vigour in discharging their duties.

  • Gunmen in white bus assassinate two soldiers, one civilian at Ebonyi checkpoint

    Gunmen in white bus assassinate two soldiers, one civilian at Ebonyi checkpoint

    There seem to be unease in Ebonyi State, following the murder of two soldiers and a civilian at a checkpoint in the State.

    The sad incident which happened on Monday night, showed that unknown gunmen shot the two soldiers and the civilian at a checkpoint on the Timber Junction area, in the Afikpo North Local Government Area of the state.

     

    Those injured as a result of the incident were rushed to an unnamed hospital for treatment while the deceased were deposited at the hospital. The victims were attacked at about 8.48pm of the penultimate day as their riffles were reportedly carted away.

     

    Other soldiers at the checkpoint ran inside the bush for safety. A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen arrived the checkpoint in a white bus and as the military men stopped them for a search, they opened fire on them.

     

    According to him, the situation threw the two busy towns of Amasiri and Afikpo into panic, as natives especially petty traders hurriedly packed their goods and went home.

    “It’s a very sad situation here. They said it was people suspected to gunmen, who came to the checkpoint at Timber Shade (boundary Ehugbo and Amasiri) in white bus. “As usual, it appeared the military were checking them and all of a sudden, they opened fire on them. Two of the military men, a man and woman, died. Others ran away. “The area is as quiet as the graveyard. These bordering villages used to be very busy and people here are farmers and traders. But the moment that happened, people started going home. Nobody is seen outside as I speak to you. Every place is calm. There is fear here now. My brother, the world is about to end,” the source told Vanguard.

    The DPO of Afikpo North LGA is said to be aware of the incident but has not yet notified the Public Relations Department of the Ebonyi State Police Command. This is coming barely 10 days after three policemen were shot dead by gunmen in the state.

     

  • Killing of soldiers in accidental air strike under investigation – Air Force

    Killing of soldiers in accidental air strike under investigation – Air Force

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said it is currently investigating the reports of alleged killing of over 20 Nigerian Army personnel in an air strike at Mainok, which is about 55km to Maiduguri, Borno State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports some visuals surfaced on the Internet on Monday of how NAF by accident in an air strike targeting Boko Haram insurgents killed the soldiers on Sunday.

    According to reports, the soldiers, who were reinforced from Ngandu village, were said to be on their way to Mainok, headquarters of the Kaga Local Government Area of the State.

    The area was under attack by militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād; hence the reinforcement.

    A source told SaharaReporters that the reinforcement team of the Nigerian Army sent to the community was mistakenly bombed by an Air Force fighter jet.

    “The Boko Haram terrorists disguised in military uniform and gained access to the camp. They came in different groups and could not be counted.

    “The Nigerian Army were pinned down, they requested for reinforcement, the reinforcement got on their way only to get smoked by the Nigerian Airforce.

    “The (reinforcement team) was coming from Ngandu and were killed by an airstrike. The Air Force mistook them for Boko Haram as both were cladded in similar military uniform and operational vehicles,” the source said.

    Meanwhile, NAF has said Investigation into the alleged incident has started.

    “The attention of the @NigAirForce has been drawn to reports alleging “How NAF Killed over 20 Nigerian Army Personnel by Accident in Air Strike” at Mainok which is about 55km to Maiduguri.

    “The NAF wishes to state that visuals and reports being circulated are being investigated and the generally public will be duly updated on the alleged incident.

    “All enquiries should please be directed to the Office of the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force or forwarded to info@airforce.mil.ng,” a statement by NAF reads.

  • Gunmen attack Rivers checkpoint; kill policemen, soldiers

    Gunmen attack Rivers checkpoint; kill policemen, soldiers

    Gunmen have attacked military and police checkpoints along the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State.

    It was gathered the gunmen, who launched the attacks around 8 pm on Saturday, killed four policemen and two soldiers.

    Details soon…
  • Buhari displeased, saddened over killing of soldiers in Benue – Magashi

    Buhari displeased, saddened over killing of soldiers in Benue – Magashi

    President Muhammadu Buhari is displeased and saddened over the killings of 11 soldiers in Bonta Village, Konshisha Local Government Area Benue.

    The Minister of Defence, rtd Gen. Bashir Magashi, made this known on Thursday when he led Service Chiefs and other top military officers on a visit to Gov. Samuel Ortom at the Benue Peoples House, in Makurdi.

    ”The Nigerian Armed Forces is deeply saddened following the killing of 11 soldiers and a Captain in Konshisha LGA of Benue.

    ”This will not discourage the Army from carrying out its duties of protecting lives and property in the country.

    ”To boost the morale of the soldiers, perpetrators of the dastardly act must be apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law,” he said.

    In his remarks, Gov Samuel Ortom, expressed deep sympathies to the President and the armed forces over the barbaric act.

    ”I have not slept since the killing of the soldiers,” he said.

    Ortom acknowledged the enormous support and contributions of security agencies, especially the military in ensuring peace in the state.

    The governor said he had directed stakeholders in Konshisha Local Government Area to fish out the perpetrators.

    He pledged his administration’s support and cooperation with security agencies to ensure those responsible for the dastardly act were apprehended and brought to justice.

    Ortom therefore prayed for the restoration of peace and security in all parts of the country.

  • Saudi Arabia executes three soldiers

    Saudi Arabia executes three soldiers

    Saudi Arabian authorities said Saturday that they executed three soldiers after they were convicted on charges of high treason.

    The Defence Ministry named the three in a statement and said they were found guilty of collaborating with an unspecified enemy of the monarchy and harming its military interests, state news agency SPA reported.

    The convicts were executed Saturday in Saudi Arabia’s military command of the southern region near the border with Yemen after their convictions had been approved by the king, according to the the ministry.

    Saudi Arabia is leading a military campaign in Yemen against Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, who have stepped up their attacks against the neighbouring oil-wealthy kingdom in recent months.