Battle of Konduga (2014)

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Battle of Konduga
Part of the Boko Haram insurgency
Date12 September 2014
Location
Konduga, Borno State, Nigeria
11°39′6″N13°25′10″E / 11.65167°N 13.41944°E / 11.65167; 13.41944
Result Nigerian victory
Belligerents
Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria Islamic State flag.svg Boko Haram
Strength
Unknown 100-200
Casualties and losses
Unknown killed
4 wounded (per Nigeria)		 100+ killed
Nigeria relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
class=notpageimage|
Location within Nigeria

The Battle of Konduga was a military engagement between the Nigerian Armed Forces and Boko Haram insurgents in Konduga, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, on September 13, 2014. Nigerian forces successfully defended the city, killing over 100 militants.

Contents

Background

Boko Haram emerged in 2009 as a jihadist social and political movement in a failed rebellion in northeast Nigeria. [1] Throughout the following years, Abubakar Shekau unified militant Islamist groups in the region and continued to foment the rebellion against the Nigerian government, conducting terrorist attacks and bombings in cities and communities across the region. [2]

In August 2014, Boko Haram launched a campaign to capture several cities in Borno State, capturing Damboa in late July and Gwoza and other cities in August. In each city, the group carried out large-scale massacres against civilians and suspected pro-government people. [2] The campaign continued in Gamboru Ngala, with Boko Haram capturing the city on August 25 and immediately launching attacks on the Cameroonian city of Fotokol. [3] [4] On September 1, the group captured Bama. [5]

Konduga has been attacked by Boko Haram several times since 2009. In August 2013, a mosque in Konduga was shot up by Boko Haram, killing 44 people. [6] In February 2014, the group killed 62 and kidnapped 20 in an attack on the city. [7]

Battle

At about 4:30 am on September 12, Boko Haram militants attacked the town of Konduga. According to the Nigerian Ministry of Defense, about 100 to 200 militants took part in the attack. [8] The Nigerian Army had been informed of the attack ahead of time, and deployed 400 soldiers to guard the city and ambush the insurgents. [9]

The clashes lasted about three hours. The Nigerian army claimed victory, saying that over 100 jihadists were killed. Nigerian officials also said that four vehicles equipped with anti-aircraft guns, two other military vehicles, and a cache of weaponry were seized. [8] [10] One soldier told Xinhua "Most of the soldiers killed were beyond recognition during the few hours of fury unleashed by our men." [11] [10] Nigerian forces only reported four wounded among their ranks. [9]

Aftermath

Some time after the battle, Boko Haram attacked a market in Ngom, killing at least 25 people. [12] [13] After the massacre, Nigerian soldiers pursued the perpetrators and killed about ten of them. [13] In Bama, a city that the militants did capture, detained civilians were massacred by Boko Haram as retaliation for the group not being able to capture Konduga. [14] Konduga was the first city in Nigeria to not have fallen to the Boko Haram offensive.

Konduga was attacked again in March 2015, which Nigerian forces again repelled. At least 70 militants were killed in the 2015 attack. [15]

References

  1. ↑ Walker, Andrew (4 February 2016). "Join us or die: the birth of Boko Haram". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Nigeria: 'Our job is to shoot, slaughter and kill': Boko Haram's reign of terror in north east Nigeria". Amnesty International. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  3. ↑ "Nigeria: 'Our job is to shoot, slaughter and kill': Boko Haram's reign of terror in north east Nigeria". Amnesty International. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "Boko Haram tue des civils à Gamboru". BBC News Afrique (in French). 31 August 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  5. ↑ "Nigeria: Boko Haram prend la ville de Bama". BBC News Afrique (in French). 2 September 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Nigeria unrest: 'Boko Haram' gunmen kill 44 at mosque". BBC News. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  7. ↑ Correspondent, Our Nigeria (18 February 2014). "Boko Haram Islamists Massacre Christian Villagers in Borno State, Nigeria". Morningstar News. Retrieved 10 December 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. 1 2 "Nigéria: victoire de l'armée sur Boko Haram". i24 News. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  9. 1 2 Mensah (13 September 2014). "Nigeria: Boko Haram defait a Konduga, l'armee exhibe les preuves". Koaci. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Soldiers kill over 100 Boko Haram members during battle for Kodunga". DailyPost Nigeria. 12 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "Nigeria : au moins 100 combattants de Boko Haram tués dans une opération militaire". french.china.org.cn. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  12. ↑ "How Boko Haram 'Opened Fire On Traders' Near Maiduguri". Pulse Nigeria. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Boko Haram attaque un marché au Nigeria". Le Figaro (in French). 13 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "Nigeria: 'Our job is to shoot, slaughter and kill': Boko Haram's reign of terror in north east Nigeria". Amnesty International. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  15. ↑ www.premiumtimesng.com https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/177813-nigerian-troops-gun-down-73-boko-haram-terrorists-in-fresh-attack-on-konduga.html?tztc=1 . Retrieved 10 December 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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