Nigeria, March 13 -- It is beyond debate. War is not won merely through the strength of numbers or the size of an army. History has repeatedly shown that strategy, surprise and deception often determine the outcome of battles.

In modern asymmetric conflicts, smaller and less equipped forces frequently rely on unconventional tactics to challenge more structured military formations.

This appears to be the pattern increasingly adopted by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province in Nigeria's North-East. In recent months, these groups have intensified their reliance on guerrilla warfare, thereby launching sudden night attacks, ambushes and hit-and-run operations against military formations.

The objective is...