Troops of the Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east, have repelled a terror attack on a military base in Kukawa, Borno State, with four soldiers injured and about 26 terrorists killed during the coordinated ground and air operations.
Mohammed Goni, the spokesperson for the task force, said in a statement on Saturday evening that the attack occurred at about 10:50 p.m. on 28 August when the terrorists attacked troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion in Kukawa.
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According to Mr Goni, an army captain, the troops responded with “direct and indirect fire”, forcing the attackers to retreat towards the Cross Kauwa axis.
“Several terrorists were neutralised, while others were observed to have sustained gunshot wounds as they fled the area,” Mr Goni stated, adding that troops later recovered the bodies of some of the assailants during follow-up exploitation.
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As the fleeing terrorists escaped on motorcycles, Mr Goni said the air component of the task force was deployed to intercept them, despite “challenging weather conditions.”
The military spokesperson said air strikes targeted terrorists hiding under trees, killing an estimated 10 fighters.
He added that Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) later tracked about 20 motorcycles carrying fleeing terrorists towards the Tunbuns/Kangarwa axis, enabling another precision air strike.
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According to Mr Goni, the follow-up strike “neutralised” an additional 15 terrorists and destroyed 10 motorcycles, significantly reducing the group’s mobility and fighting capability.
Ground troops also recovered two motorcycles, killed another terrorist and seized assorted ammunition and other items during subsequent exploitation operations.
The military spokesperson said the coordinated ground and air operations disrupted the attack, prevented the terrorists’ withdrawal and further degraded their ability to regroup or launch sustained operations in the area.
Following the encounter, troops were resupplied by air with essential combat equipment to sustain operations, he said.
“Four personnel recorded no life-threatening injuries during the engagement,” Mr Goni revealed. “The wounded personnel were promptly evacuated by air for further medical attention and are confirmed to be in stable condition.”
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He added that troops have commenced reorganisation and extensive exploitation of the area, while battle damage assessment and further evaluation of the encounter are ongoing.
He said the successful defence of Kukawa demonstrated the task force’s ability “to detect, contain and decisively respond to terrorist threats through effective integration of ground forces, air assets and intelligence capabilities.”
The military spokesperson also said the task force remains committed to sustaining offensive operations, intelligence-led surveillance, and coordinated ground and air actions to degrade terrorist capabilities, deny them freedom of action and protect communities across Nigeria’s North-east.
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