By Sumaila Ogbaje
Troops of the Operation HADIN KAI have neutralised more than 80 terrorists following a fierce overnight battle in Mallam Fatori, Borno.
The troops, under the Joint Task Force (North East), repelled a coordinated five-pronged attack launched by insurgents on the 68 Battalion location in Sector 3 in the early hours of Wednesday.
The military in its operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, revealed that the attackers advanced in large numbers on foot and deployed armed drones.
The report said the terrorists attempted to breach defensive positions, particularly along the Bravo Company frontage from the Duguri axis.
According to the report, troops, who had prior intelligence of the assault, mounted a well-coordinated offensive-defensive response, engaging the insurgents with superior firepower and tactical manoeuvre.
“The attackers were overwhelmed, disrupted and forced to retreat in disarray, leaving behind heavy casualties.
“Air support from the Air Component of OPHK, alongside allied Nigerien air assets, provided precision strikes that further decimated the fleeing insurgents.
“A subsequent sweep of the battlefield led to the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition, including dozens of AK-47 rifles, machine guns, RPG launchers, improvised explosive devices and components of armed drones.”
The report further revealed that in spite of the intensity of the encounter, only four soldiers were wounded in action and have since been stabilised, while battle damage assessment was ongoing.
“Notably, three senior terrorist commanders—Malam Abdulrahman Gobara, Malam Ba Yuram and Abou Ayyuba—were among those killed, alongside several other fighters.
The report described the outcome as a major setback for insurgent operations in the axis, noting that the elimination of key commanders would significantly disrupt their command structure.
It reaffirmed that troops remain in firm control of Mallam Fatori and surrounding areas, and dismissing claims of setbacks as misinformation.
It rged residents to remain vigilant and rely only on verified information as operations continue in the North-East.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deborah Coker
