Security forces kill terrorists in Borno coordinated attacks

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Nigerian security forces have killed several terrorists while repelling attacks on Pulka and Mandaragirau in Borno State.

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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force, fought off the terrorists late on Saturday after the insurgents suspected to be members of Boko Haram or the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attempted to overrun defensive positions in the two locations.

In Pulka, insurgents advancing from the Sambisa Forest axis launched what the military described as a fierce assault on troops of Sector 1.

Although a section of the perimeter was briefly breached, reinforcements from 26 Brigade responded with heavy firepower, forcing the attackers to retreat, according to a statement by the joint force’s spokesperson, Sani Uba, a lieutenant colonel.

Mr Uba said intelligence reports indicated that the insurgents suffered significant casualties, including a senior commander identified as Abou Aisha. He added that no soldier was killed in the Pulka engagement.

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In a related incident, troops of Sector 2 in Mandaragirau came under a multi-pronged attack by suspected ISWAP fighters mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles.

The assault was repelled after an intense firefight, though some soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed, while others sustained injuries.

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The injured personnel were evacuated by air for medical treatment, the spokesperson said.

Follow-up operations along the Kimba axis uncovered blood trails, shallow graves and abandoned equipment, with local sources indicating that several insurgents were evacuated with injuries, he added.