38 Terrorists Neutralised as Troops Repel ISWAP Attack in Mandaragirau

38 Terrorists Neutralised as Troops Repel ISWAP Attack in Mandaragirau

No fewer than 38 terrorists have been neutralised by troops of Operation HADIN KAI following a failed attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on a military formation in Mandaragirau, Borno State.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, who said the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday at a Forward Operating Base in Sector 2.

According to the statement, troops engaged the attackers using a combination of ambush tactics and coordinated defensive firepower, forcing them to retreat in disarray, while the Air Component provided close air support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI decisively defeated a halfhearted attack by ISWAP terrorists on FOB Mandaragirau, engaging the attackers with well-coordinated ambushes and a deliberate offensive-defensive response that forced them into a disorderly withdrawal,” the statement said.

The military noted that follow-up operations along the insurgents’ withdrawal routes resulted in further casualties.

“A total of about 38 terrorists were neutralised, with eight bodies recovered within the immediate engagement area, while human intelligence from locals confirmed over 30 additional terrorists’ bodies and weapons along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis into the Timbuktu Triangle,” it added.

Troops also recovered seven AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, four rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs and assorted ammunition abandoned by the fleeing insurgents.

“Troops recorded no fatalities, though one MRAP was hit by RPG fire, with injured personnel promptly stabilised,” the statement said.

The military added that the scale of losses inflicted on the insurgents had sparked jubilation among local communities, underscoring continued operational gains in the theatre.

Further clearance and exploitation operations are ongoing along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis at the fringes of the Timbuktu Triangle to recover additional bodies and consolidate gains.