The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has taken responsibility for a deadly improvised explosive device (IED) attack that claimed the lives of at least 26 people near Rann, a remote community in Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.
The tragic incident occurred around 11 a.m. on Friday along the Furunduma axis, a route commonly used by commuters and internally displaced persons in the insurgency-ravaged region.
Initial reports from residents and security sources indicated that 17 people, including four women, six children, and seven other passengers, were killed on the spot.
However, on-going search and rescue efforts have uncovered more bodies in the surrounding bush, pushing the official death toll to 26 by Monday.
In a statement shared via Telegram on Tuesday, ISWAP claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a report by Reuters, and reaffirmed the number of casualties.
The incident is one of the most fatal in recent months in Nigeria’s northeast, where military operations against insurgent factions have continued to intensify.
