Nigerian troops have repelled a coordinated Islamic State West Africa Province attack in Kukawa, Borno State, killing more than 25 terrorists and recovering weapons and ammunition.
The attack was launched from four directions against troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion, but the soldiers, supported by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, resisted the assault.
The Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Goni said the troops used superior firepower and coordinated ground and air operations to overwhelm the attackers and force the surviving terrorists to retreat.
“Preliminary assessment indicates that over 25 terrorists were neutralised, with 14 bodies recovered so far,” he said.
Troops subsequently conducted an exploitation of the area and recovered a cache of weapons, including six AK-47 rifles and ammunition.
The Army said operations were continuing to recover more weapons, track the fleeing terrorists and prevent them from regrouping.
Some soldiers were killed during the encounter, although the Army did not disclose their number.
The military expressed condolences to the families of the fallen personnel, commending their courage and sacrifice in the fight against terrorism.
It said the successful operation demonstrated the combat readiness of troops in the North-East and the effectiveness of coordinated air and ground operations.
The Army said it would sustain patrols, intelligence-led operations and coordinated offensives to disrupt terrorist networks, protect communities and restrict the movement of insurgents.
Discussion0