Troops of the Operation Hadin Kai have repelled coordinated midnight attacks by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on three military bases in Borno State, killing 11 insurgents in separate encounters.
The attacks, which occurred between February 28 midnight and the early hours of March 1, targeted Forward Operating Bases located in Mayanti, Gajigana and Gajiram communities.
According to the military, five terrorists were neutralised during the fierce gun battle in Mayanti, three were killed in Gajiram, while two others were eliminated during the attempted incursion on Gajigana.
The spokes person of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, said the troops successfully foiled the coordinated assaults despite heavy gunfire and the use of advanced weapons by the insurgents.
He confirmed that an officer lost his life in the Mayanti encounter, while one soldier sustained injuries during the Gajiram attack and wasrecd
Uba explained that the attackers were heavily armed with PKT automatic guns, RPG launchers and armed drones but were forced to retreat after sustained resistance from troops backed by air support.
Items recovered from the fleeing insurgents included anti-aircraft guns, RPG tubes, AK-47 rifles, mortar bombs, anti-tank explosives, ammunition and an armed drone.
In related operations under Sector 2, troops reportedly engaged terrorists at Kayawa village, forcing them to abandon motorcycles, bicycles and a tricycle used for logistics. Two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers were also arrested, while drugs and medical supplies meant for treating injured fighters were recovered.
The military assured residents that all the affected bases remain under firm control, stressing that ongoing offensives have significantly weakened the operational capacity of terrorist elements in the North-East.
