Operation HADIN KAI troops have repelled coordinated terrorist attacks on Pulka and Mandaragirau in Borno, inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Media Information Officer, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, the Joint Task Force (North East) said the attacks occurred late on Feb. 14 when terrorists attempted to overrun defensive positions in both locations.
According to the statement, a large group of suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters advanced from the Sambisa Forest axis and launched a fierce assault on troops of Sector 1 in Pulka.
The troops, however, engaged the insurgents in an intense firefight and successfully contained and reversed the attack.
“Although a section of the perimeter was briefly breached, leading to the destruction of some combat enablers and accommodation, swift reinforcement with overwhelming firepower from 26 Brigade forced the terrorists to retreat towards the Sambisa axis,” the statement said.
It added that credible intelligence indicated the insurgents suffered severe casualties, including a senior commander identified as Abou Aisha, who reportedly died from a gunshot wound sustained during the encounter.
The task force confirmed that no troop was killed during the Pulka attack.
In a related development, troops of Sector 2 at Mandaragirau came under a coordinated, multi-pronged attack by ISWAP fighters mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles.
The statement said the troops, who had tactically emplaced combat teams in anticipation of such action, decisively engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange.
The attack was successfully repelled without any breach of the location’s defences.
However, the military disclosed that some personnel and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force lost their lives in the defence of the position, while a few soldiers sustained injuries.
The wounded personnel were evacuated by the Air Component of OPHK and Nigerian Army Aviation platforms for medical attention.
Follow-up exploitation along the Kimba axis revealed blood trails, shallow graves and abandoned items, while eyewitness accounts reportedly confirmed the evacuation of several terrorist casualties towards Kimba.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their bravery, professionalism and fighting spirit, noting that the failed attacks reflected what it described as growing desperation among terrorist elements under sustained operational pressure.
The task force reiterated its commitment to dismantling terrorist networks, protecting communities and restoring peace and economic stability across the North-East region.
