Troops of Sector 3, Operation HADIN KAI, in collaboration with other components of the counter-insurgency operation, have repelled a terrorist attack around Kadiya village in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, neutralising 26 terrorists and destroying 10 motorcycles.
The operation, conducted late on Friday, August 28, followed credible human intelligence indicating the movement of suspected terrorists around Kadiya and the wider Kukawa axis.
Military sources said the terrorists attacked troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion at about 10:45 p.m.
The assault was successfully repelled by the troops, with support from the air component of Operation HADIN KAI.
The coordinated ground and air response reportedly forced the terrorists to withdraw in disarray.
As the fleeing terrorists attempted to escape the area, the Nigerian Air Force conducted two precision air strikes against their positions.
The first strike targeted about 10 terrorists who had taken cover beneath trees following the initial ground engagement. The strike reportedly neutralised all 10 terrorists in the targeted location.
A second air strike was subsequently conducted against terrorists fleeing towards the Tunbuns/Kangarwa axis, with the operation coordinated with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets of the Multinational Joint Task Force.
The second strike reportedly neutralised another 15 terrorists and destroyed 10 motorcycles used by the fleeing fighters.
At about 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 29, troops conducted an exploitation operation along the terrorists’ withdrawal route, where they discovered the body of another terrorist.
This brought the total number of terrorists neutralised during the operation to 26.
The troops also recovered two motorcycles abandoned by the fleeing terrorists, alongside 253 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm PKT ammunition, 12 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and two anti-aircraft rounds.
Other recovered items included a shuttle bag, an eye protector, a pair of spectacles and two wristwatches.
However, the encounter resulted in injuries to four soldiers. One Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was also damaged during the engagement.
The injured personnel were immediately evacuated for medical attention and are reportedly in stable condition.
The troops were subsequently resupplied to sustain their operational posture and maintain pressure on terrorist elements operating across the Kukawa and Lake Chad axis.
The Kadiya-Kangarwa corridor remains strategically significant to security operations in Borno State because of its proximity to the Lake Chad Basin and its importance as a movement corridor for terrorist elements.
Military authorities said troops remain deployed across the theatre and are sustaining patrols, intelligence-led operations and exploitation missions aimed at denying terrorists freedom of movement and preventing them from regrouping.
The latest engagement underscores the fluid and unpredictable nature of the security environment in the North-East, where terrorist groups continue to mount attacks against military positions despite sustained counter-insurgency operations.
The military said operations would continue against terrorist formations, logistics networks and movement corridors in an effort to sustain pressure on the groups and further degrade their operational capabilities across the theatre. (PRNigeria)
