Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, have repelled coordinated terrorist attacks on multiple military locations in Borno, in which several soldiers were killed.

The attacks targeted troops’ positions in Konduga, Marte, Jakana and Mainok between about 10:30 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. on Friday, said a statement by the Nigerian Army.

“The terrorists launched desperate attempts to overrun the military locations but were met with stiff resistance from alert troops who held their ground despite the intensity of the assaults.

“Troops mounted a coordinated response that included simultaneous flanking manoeuvres supported by reinforcement teams drawn from Sectors 1 and 2.

“The troops decisively routed the attacking terrorists and forced them into disorganised withdrawals. In some isolated instances where sections of the defensive perimeter were temporarily breached, troops swiftly counter-attacked and fully regained control of their positions,” the army stated.

It disclosed that several insurgent leaders, including key amirs, were killed during the fierce engagements, while a number of other fighters were eliminated in the counter-offensive.

The army added that although some structures within the affected locations sustained damage during the firefights, all the military bases remained firmly under the control of troops.

“In close coordination with the air component, multiple precision air strikes were conducted overnight against fleeing terrorist elements and identified hostile positions.

“The strikes further neutralised scores of insurgents and degraded their fighting capability,” the statement said.

It disclosed that ground troops were currently conducting exploitation operations across the affected areas, with recovery of terrorists’ corpses, weapons and other combat equipment ongoing. However, some soldiers were killed during the gunfight, including a senior officer who died while leading his troops at the frontline.

“Their sacrifice reflects the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces to defending the nation and protecting innocent citizens,” said the statement.

(NAN)