Battles of the Kasiya Forest

Battles of the Kasiya Forest
Part of Boko Haram insurgency
Date September 12-13, 2013 Location Kasiya Forest, Borno State, Nigeria Result Nigerian victory (1st battle) Boko Haram victory (2nd battle)
Belligerents
Nigeria	Boko Haram
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Abba Goroma  †
Units involved
7th Division 81st Battalion 12th Brigade 134th Battalion	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Total: 56 killed, 74 missing 1st battle: 16 killed, 9 missing 2nd battle: 40 killed, 65 missing	150+ killed

On September 12 and 13, 2013, Nigerian forces stormed a Boko Haram camp in the Kasiya forest in northeast Borno State, Nigeria, killing around 150 militants and sixteen soldiers. The day afterward, the surviving Boko Haram militants ambushed a different group of Nigerian soldiers on the outskirts of the Kasiya forest near Kangarwa, killing 40 soldiera and leaving 65 others missing.

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] The area around the Kasiya forest had been a known Boko Haram hub of activity, with the group using their base in the forest to kill 40 Nigerian soldiers in Gashua in May. ^[3] The base itself was extremely well-defended and highly fortified. ^[4]

Battles

Nigerian officials stated that the battle began when Nigerian troops infiltrated the camp on the night of September 12. ^[4] These troops were part of the 81st Battalion of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army. ^[5] These troops had aerial support, and the battle at Kasiya lasted for several hours. ^[5] The militants, caught by surprise, shot wildly at the Nigerian soldiers. ^[5] The militants were forced to desert the camp. ^[5] Nigerian officials said that over 150 militants were killed during the battle, along with sixteen Nigerian soldiers. Of the soldiers, one officer and a lieutenant were killed. Nine more soldiers were also missing. ^[5] A top Boko Haram commander, Abba Goroma, was killed as well. ^[5]

The battle was a major victory for Nigerian forces after several hefty losses against Boko Haram. ^[4] In the days following the attack, the surviving militants began ambushes on Nigerian soldiers in the Kasiya forest. ^[6] At least 40 soldiers from the 134th Battalion of the 12th Brigade were killed and 65 others missing by the militants on September 13 after no aerial support showed up. ^[5] The Nigerian army denied the existence of this attack. ^[7]

References

1. Walker, Andrew (2016-02-04). "Join us or die: the birth of Boko Haram". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-04-26.
2. "Nigeria unrest: 'Boko Haram' gunmen kill 44 at mosque". BBC News. 2013-08-12. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
3. "Africa News Round Up, Thursday, September 19 2013". The Independent (Kampala) via AllAfrica. September 19, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
4. "Violence continues in Nigeria's northeast". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
5. "Boko Haram Kills 40 Soldiers In Borno". CKN News. 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
6. Baba Mamman, Emmanuel (2020). "Public Policy Response to Violence: Case Study of Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria". Walden University ScholarWorks. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
7. Defense, R. P. "105 soldats tués ou portés disparus suite à une embuscade au Nigeria". RP Defense (in French). Retrieved 2025-08-26.