Troops of Operation Hadin Kai successfully repelled an attempted attack by Boko Haram insurgents on the 25 Taskforce Brigade headquarters in Damboa, Borno State, killing 16 terrorists during the early hours of Friday.
The assault occurred around 1:00 am, close to the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, when soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) spotted a group of terrorists attempting to infiltrate the military base. The troops immediately engaged them with sustained indirect firepower, forcing the insurgents into a retreat after two hours of heavy combat.
According to Captain Reuben Kovangiya, spokesperson for the Northeast Joint Taskforce Operations Hadin Kai, the swift response and success of the operation were greatly enhanced by the timely intervention of the air component of the task force. He confirmed that several terrorists fled with injuries, while 16 were neutralised during the confrontation.
In a related incident, the Nigerian Army reported that troops thwarted another attempt by insurgents to steal food supplies from a civilian vehicle near Rann, the administrative centre of Kala Balge Local Government Area. In that encounter, six terrorists were killed, and an AK-47 rifle along with ammunition was recovered.
Additionally, troops from the Forward Operating Base in Molai, in collaboration with the CJTF, executed an ambush on a known terrorist crossing point near Komala along the Maiduguri-Damboa Road. Though the exact number of terrorists killed remains unconfirmed, the operation led to the recovery of motorcycles, components for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other materials on Thursday.
Captain Kovangiya noted that troops have intensified their pursuit of the fleeing insurgents into the surrounding forest areas with the objective of eliminating more of them and weakening their operational capacity.
What you should know
The Nigerian Army continues to press forward in its counterinsurgency operations in the Northeast. The recent success in Damboa underscores the military’s growing intelligence and air support capabilities, critical in combating Boko Haram’s persistent threat in the Sambisa region.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM VERILY NEWS
