19 Soldiers battling For Life,Several Missing In Boko Haram Ambush

                       

The Nigerian army said several soldiers are missing following an attack by Boko Haram on Thursday in a Borno community of Guro Gongo,the army also said that 19 soldiers who survived the attack are in critical condition battling for their lives in the hospital.
The Army Spokesman Sani Usman said  some civilian JTF operatives were also badly wounded while the wounded soldiers have been evacuated to Maiduguri, a rescue team has been sent to search for the missing.

“Today morning, troops on clearance patrol at Guro Gongon village and environs to rout out remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hibernating therein, destroyed the terrorists’ makeshift camps and recovered quite a number of weapons, equipment and foodstuff in the process,” Mr. Usman, a colonel and acting director of army public relations, said.

“The recovered items include 1 Gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft Gun, a MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, 1 Light Machine Gun, 3 AK-47 rifles and motorcycles.

“However, the gallant soldiers basking on the recorded success, returning to their defensive locations, ran into an ambush by a group of Boko Haram terrorists who came to reinforce their fleeing comrades. The troops fought back gallantly killing several of the insurgents.

“Sadly however, 19 soldiers and 3 civilian JTF members were wounded in action while a few others were missing in action. 

“The wounded have been evacuated and are responding to treatment, while a search and rescue party comprising of Special Forces personnel has since been dispatched to establish contact with the missing in action troops, some of whom, as at the time of filing this report, have started returning to their defensive location.

“It is pertinent to state that, no stone would be left unturned until every person involved in the operation has been accounted for,” he said.