Troops foil ISWAP attack but lose two soldiers

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have lost two soldiers and one member of CJTF while repelling suspected ISWAP terrorists in Mairari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State. The encounter, at the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Mairari, also resulted in killing several insurgents and preventing an assault on the newly resettled community. The spokesperson for […]

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have lost two soldiers and one member of CJTF while repelling suspected ISWAP terrorists in Mairari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

The encounter, at the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Mairari, also resulted in killing several insurgents and preventing an assault on the newly resettled community.

The spokesperson for the operation, Mohammed Goni, in a statement on Thursday, said the troops repelled the attack on Wednesday night.

“The troops responded with exceptional gallantry, engaging the attackers in a fierce firefight and forcing them to withdraw in confusion after inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists and destroying their equipment,” he said.

Goni said troops recovered AK-47 rifles, loaded magazines, Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tubes, and other military equipment abandoned by the fleeing terrorists.

Surveillance footage also confirmed that the insurgents evacuated several of their dead and wounded from the battlefield.

Goni noted that Mairari village was recently resettled with over 950 households returning to the area.

“The attack was also a desperate attempt by the terrorists to instill fear among the residents and disrupt the ongoing resettlement process,” he said

Goni said the terrorists’ objective was thwarted, as no civilian casualty was recorded during the attack.

“Two soldiers and one member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) paid the supreme price during the intense encounter,” he said.

According to him, some military equipment items were damaged by rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire during the clash.

The army also mourned the fallen soldiers and extended its heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones.

In a related development, he said a reinforcement team from Monguno detected and safely detonated two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted along the route before engaging the fleeing terrorists.

“The swift intervention further disrupted the insurgents’ withdrawal and inflicted additional casualties on them. Despite the terrorists’ desperate attempt to overrun the location, the troops maintained full control of the base and continue to dominate the operational environment through sustained offensive operations,” he added