The Nigerian military has confirmed the death of 22 soldiers during a clearance operation against terrorists in the North-East.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), in a statement on Sunday, said the operation was conducted in the Timbuktu Triangle, a known terrorist stronghold.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, said the operation, which began on Jan. 16, was aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves in the area.
“Overall, during the course of the operations, troops sadly recorded 22 killed in action casualties with several others wounded in action,” Buba said.
He disclosed that over 70 terrorists, including three key commanders, were neutralised during the operation.
“The terrorist commanders neutralised include TALHA, the Terrorist Special Forces Commander; Mallam UMAR, the Terrorist Operations Commander; and ABU YAZEED, the Terrorist Brigade Commander,” he said.
Buba noted that the terrorists deployed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), suicide bombers, and amateur drones in an attempt to halt the troops’ advance.
“Troops, already familiar with the terrorists’ tactics, successfully thwarted these attempts, including shooting down several drones,” he added.
The DHQ described the operation as a significant success despite the challenges encountered by the troops.
The 15-year insurgency in the region has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced more than two million people, according to reports.
The violence has spread to neighbouring countries, including Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, leading to the establishment of a regional force to combat the insurgency.
