News
Over 20 suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terorrist group have been killed by troops of Joint Task Force Sector 2, Operation HADIN KAI.
They were killed during failed attempts to launch coordinated, multi-directional attacks on military location in Goniri on March 9 and 10, a statement by the spokesman,
Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said Wednesday.
Uba said surveillance assets first detected the insurgents advancing simultaneously from Goniri village and the Ngamdu junction axis in what appeared to be an attempt to encircle the troops’ position.
He said the troops responded with coordinated defensive action, deploying superior firepower and tactical manoeuvres to repel the attackers.
Reinforcements were mobilised while the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI provided close air support during the battle.
“In the course of the intense firefight, the terrorists were overwhelmed and forced to retreat in disarray, suffering heavy casualties,” the military said.
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Among those killed was a senior terrorist commander identified as Abu Yusu, the Munzir of Dursula.
Troops recovered several bodies as well as weapons and equipment abandoned during the retreat, including machine guns, AK-47 rifles, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), bombs and assorted ammunition.
Follow-up exploitation and clearance operations around Gwaigomari in the Timbuktu Triangle also led to the discovery of additional terrorist bodies during patrols conducted up to the early hours of March 11.
The military said troops injured during the encounter had been evacuated for treatment and were in stable condition.
It added that the location remains under the firm control of Operation HADIN KAI troops, with ground forces, supported by air assets, continuing aggressive operations in surrounding areas.
Search and clearance operations are also ongoing in nearby communities where some fleeing terrorists are suspected to have taken refuge.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their gallantry and urged them to sustain the operational tempo in the fight against terrorism in the North-East.