Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have repelled coordinated attacks by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province across multiple locations in Borno State, inflicting heavy losses on the insurgents and reinforcing military control in key operational areas.
The attacks, which occurred in the early hours of March 16, targeted military positions in Njimtilo, Baga, Buratai, and Damboa, in what military authorities described as a coordinated but failed attempt by the terrorists to overrun troops and gain propaganda advantage.
According to a statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer at Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), the insurgents advanced from multiple directions but were detected early and met with what he described as a “deliberate offensive-defensive posture” by troops on the ground.
“At Ajiri Cross, ahead of Njimtilo, terrorists attempted to infiltrate positions mounted by troops of Sector 1 but were swiftly detected and decisively engaged by the vigilant troops who had anticipated the move,” the statement said.
The military said troops deployed coordinated firepower and tactical manoeuvres to disrupt the attackers and cut off their withdrawal routes, forcing them into a disorganised retreat with significant casualties. Similar offensives at Baga, Buratai and Damboa were also repelled as troops brought superior firepower to bear on the insurgents.
Air support played a critical role in the engagements, with the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI and Nigerian Army Aviation conducting precision strikes that disrupted the terrorists’ formations and compounded their losses during withdrawal attempts.
Military authorities confirmed that several insurgents were killed during the encounters, including a key commander who led the assault on Buratai. Others were reported injured as they fled along escape routes. Despite the intensity of the fighting, troops maintained control of all attacked locations, although some equipment was damaged and a number of soldiers sustained injuries.
Following the failed assaults, troops launched exploitation operations around Baga, extending to nearby areas including Korochara and Garin Giwa towards the Gidan Kaje axis. During these operations, security forces recovered a cache of weapons and equipment, including machine guns, rifles, ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades and other combat supplies.
The military also reported the recovery of seven insurgent bodies, while additional intelligence indicated that the fleeing fighters buried about 20 of their dead in shallow graves during their retreat.
The latest clashes, according to the military, underscore increasing pressure on insurgent groups operating in the North-East, with repeated operational setbacks limiting their ability to mount sustained offensives. “These failed attacks further demonstrate the growing desperation of terrorist elements under sustained operational pressure from OPHK forces across the theatre,” the statement noted.
Authorities reassured residents that all affected locations remain firmly under military control, with troops sustaining offensive operations to track fleeing insurgents and dismantle their logistics networks.
Operation HADIN KAI reiterated its commitment to defeating terrorism in the region, urging members of the public to remain vigilant and disregard misinformation aimed at undermining ongoing counter-insurgency efforts.
