By Ade Oyeyemi
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled a coordinated attack by Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, with the military claiming that more than 25 insurgents were killed.
The terrorists reportedly attacked troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion from four directions, but the soldiers responded with heavy firepower and coordinated tactical manoeuvres.
The Acting Military Information Officer of the Headquarters Joint Task Force, North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Goni said the troops, supported by the Air Component, successfully overwhelmed the attackers and forced surviving insurgents to retreat from the area.
“Preliminary assessment indicates that over 25 terrorists were neutralised, with 14 bodies recovered so far,” he stated.
He added that troops subsequently conducted an exploitation of the area and recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition, including six AK-47 rifles.
The military said operations were ongoing to recover more weapons, track the fleeing insurgents and prevent them from regrouping.
However, the Army confirmed that some soldiers were killed during the encounter.
The Nigerian Army commiserated with the families of the fallen personnel, commending the troops for their courage and sacrifice in the fight against terrorism in the North-East.
The military said the successful defence against the attack demonstrated the combat readiness and resilience of troops deployed in the theatre.
It also highlighted the role of coordinated air and ground operations in disrupting terrorist activities and limiting the freedom of movement of insurgents.
The Army said it would sustain its operational pressure on terrorists and other criminal elements through intelligence-led operations, aggressive patrols and coordinated offensives with other security agencies.
It added that the operations were aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, protecting communities and strengthening security across the North-East.
