The Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has officially moved to squash alleged”misleading and highly exaggerated” reports surrounding a recent encounter with terrorists in Benisheikh.
In a strongly worded statement released Friday, the military reaffirmed its operational superiority while correcting what it termed a deliberate distortion of facts.
The military specifically addressed viral claims suggesting a high casualty rate among its ranks.
OPHK categorically denied reports that 17 soldiers, including a Brigade Commander, were killed during the encounter.
According to verified reports from Defence Headquarters, the actual toll stands at two officers and two soldiers who paid the supreme price during the engagement.
”Any contrary figure being circulated is entirely false, misleading, and devoid of credibility,” stated Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force (North East).
The military also corrected narratives regarding the Brigade Commander’s mobility during the fight.
Contrary to social media rumors that his vehicle was “unserviceable,” the Command clarified that the officer was leading from the front in a high-grade Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.
While the vehicle was temporarily immobilized due to the intensity of the combat, the military stressed this was a result of active engagement at a “decisive point” rather than equipment failure.
The statement highlighted a worrying trend of “stray” media being used to fuel propaganda such as photos and videos currently circulating are unrelated to the Benisheikh incident.
The military warned against using the sacrifices of soldiers for personal or political gain, even as it urged the public to rely solely on the Armed Forces for verified operational updates.
Despite the initial ambush, OPHK confirmed that troops successfully repelled the attack, maintained control of their position, and forced the terrorists into a “disorganized retreat.”
The military views the failed assault as a testament to the sustained pressure being placed on insurgent elements in the Northeast.
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