Troops under the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have killed 38 fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during a coordinated military operation.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, who noted that the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday.
According to the statement, the insurgents launched an ആക്രമ against the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mandaragirau, located in Sector 2 of Borno State, but were repelled by troops who responded with superior coordination and firepower.
The military explained that a combination of ambush tactics and a carefully executed offensive-defensive approach forced the attackers to retreat in disarray. It added that the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI delivered close air support, improving precision strikes on the fleeing terrorists.
“Subsequent pursuit along the terrorists’ withdrawal routes inflicted further heavy losses. A total of about 38 terrorists were neutralized, with 8 bodies recovered in the immediate area.
“Human intelligence from locals confirms over 30 additional bodies and abandoned weapons along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis into the Timbuktu Triangle. Evidence included blood trails and discarded equipment.
Recovered items from the scene included seven AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, four rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and various rounds of ammunition. The statement noted that no soldiers were killed during the encounter, although one Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was struck by RPG fire, leaving some personnel injured but quickly treated.
The statement further highlighted that the significant losses suffered by the insurgents have triggered celebrations within nearby communities, reinforcing claims of continued military pressure and control by Operation HADIN KAI forces in the region.
