Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralised more than 25 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists who launched a coordinated attack on a military position in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The terrorists launched the multi-directional assault on troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion in large numbers from four different flanks, but were met with stiff resistance from the soldiers.
Earlier reports indicated that the terrorists, armed with sophisticated weapons, attempted to infiltrate military positions in Kukawa at about 9:14 PM on Tuesday.
A statement on Wednesday by Captain Mohammed Goni, spokesman of the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), said the troops responded with superior firepower, tactical manoeuvres and effective battlefield coordination.
The troops, supported by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, overwhelmed the attackers, inflicted heavy casualties and forced surviving terrorists to flee.
The statement said preliminary assessment indicated that more than 25 terrorists were neutralised, with 14 bodies recovered so far.
During the exploitation of the area, the troops recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including six AK-47 rifles.
Further exploitation of the area is ongoing to recover additional weapons, track the fleeing terrorists and prevent them from regrouping.
The military also confirmed that some soldiers were killed during the encounter.
The Nigerian Army expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, saying their courage and sacrifice would remain a testament to their service to the nation.
The Army said the successful repulsion of the attack demonstrated the combat readiness of troops and the effectiveness of air-ground coordination in disrupting terrorist activities in the North East.
It added that troops would continue with aggressive patrols, intelligence-led operations and coordinated offensive actions with other security agencies to dismantle terrorist networks, protect communities and safeguard the country.
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