By ZAKAA LAZARUS
Troops of the Joint Task Force North-East under Operation Hadin Kai have successfully repelled coordinated terrorist attacks on several military locations in Borno State, killing several insurgent leaders and fighters.
According to a statement issued by Lt. Col. Sani Uba, the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, the attacks were launched by terrorists on military formations in Konduga, Marte, Jakana and Mainok between about 10:30 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.
The statement said the insurgents attempted to overrun troops’ positions but were met with stiff resistance from alert soldiers who held their ground despite the intensity of the assaults.
Troops, supported by reinforcement teams from Sectors 1 and 2, carried out coordinated flanking manoeuvres that forced the attackers into a disorganised retreat.
“In some isolated cases where parts of the defensive perimeter were temporarily breached, troops swiftly counter-attacked and fully regained control of their positions,” the statement said.
During the engagements, several terrorist commanders, including key Amirs (leaders), were neutralised, while a number of insurgent fighters were also killed during the counter-offensive.
Although some structures within the affected military locations were damaged during the exchange of fire, the military said all bases remained firmly under the control of Operation Hadin Kai troops.
The Air Component of the operation also carried out multiple precision airstrikes on fleeing terrorists and identified hostile positions, destroying several targets and further weakening the insurgents’ fighting capability.
Ground troops have since commenced exploitation operations across the affected areas, with ongoing recovery of terrorist bodies, weapons and other combat equipment.
However, the military confirmed that some soldiers were killed during the clashes, including an officer who reportedly led his troops from the front during the battle.
The Nigerian Armed Forces described their sacrifice as a reflection of the commitment of troops to defending the country and protecting civilians.
The statement added that the failed attacks demonstrate the growing desperation of terrorist groups currently under sustained military pressure across the North-East theatre of operations.
