Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) stormed a military base just before dawn in the town of Rann, the headquarters of Kala-Balge Local Government Area, Borno State, near the border with Cameroon.
13 May 2025 · Rann, Kala-Balge, Borno
Deaths
4
Injured
5
Total casualties
9
Perpetrators
ISWAP
Response
Troops repelled a second ISWAP attack on the same base less than 48 hours later, killing many insurgents with the support of a NAF fighter jet. Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum visited Rann and condemned the surge in attacks, vowing he was "more determined than ever to support the military"
Socioeconomic drivers
The attack was part of a sustained ISWAP campaign to overrun military bases, seize weapons, and assert territorial control. HumAngle described the May 12-13 offensive as ISWAP's "most sophisticated assault in recent memory," featuring advanced drone capabilities and near-simultaneous strikes on multiple targets.
Trajectory
The attack on Rann was part of a coordinated wave of ISWAP violence on 12-13 May 2025 that included the overrunning of Marte town, a simultaneous strike on Dikwa, and an IED attack on the Damboa-Maiduguri road . This marked ISWAP's "most sophisticated assault in recent memory," demonstrating evolved tactics including drone warfare and multi-pronged coordination . The group has now attacked ten military bases in two months, indicating a significant escalation in its operational tempo.
Cycle notes
This attack echoes the pattern of ISWAP military base overruns documented throughout 2025, including the 2 May 2025 Buni Gari attack (11 soldiers killed) and the 26 January 2025 Malam-Fatori suicide bombing (27 soldiers killed). The coordinated wave of attacks on Marte, Dikwa, and Rann in May 2025 represents a significant escalation in ISWAP's campaign, with the group demonstrating new capabilities including armed drones and near-simultaneous strikes across multiple locations.
Pattern
Military Base Assault
Sources
- https://dailytribunal24.com/jihadists-kill-four-nigerian-soldiers-in-fresh-attack-on-military-base-sources
- https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nnorth-east/794098-boko-haram-iswap-insurgents-attack-four-nigerian-military-bases-within-24-hours.html
- https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/05/again-boko-haram-raids-two-military-formations-in-borno-kill-soldiers-others-injured/amp/
Related — Armed Attack
Suspected gunmen attacked POS operators in Sodawa community, Ghari LGA, Kano State. Several were killed and others injured.
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Gaskeri village in the evening. During the attack, the assailants killed three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, a local self-defense group that assists the military. The attackers also looted food supplies from the village, which the military described as a "survival bid."
Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram carried out coordinated attacks in Damagun town, Yobe State. First, an explosion destroyed part of Damagun Primary School late Sunday night. Hours later, the attackers attempted to storm a Catholic church and the Damagun police station. Police repelled the assaults after a sustained gun battle, forcing the gunmen to flee into the bush. No casualties were officially reported, but property damage was significant.