Troops foil Boko Haram attack in Borno, killing six insurgents as air support and armed drones help repel coordinated assault on army base

The dawn attack, launched around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, involved the use of armed drones and mortar fire aimed at the military base.

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But according to the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East (Operation Hadin Kai), Lt. Col. Uba Sanni, the troops displayed exceptional courage and tactical superiority to repel the onslaught.

“Troops, reinforced by the Main Force from the Battalion under Sector 3, displayed exceptional gallantry and tactical superiority to repel the attack,” Sanni said in a statement.

Despite the insurgents’ deployment of drones and indirect fire, the soldiers stood firm, engaging the terrorists in a fierce gun battle with support from Nigerien fighter jets.

“The terrorists, overwhelmed by the superior firepower and coordination of the joint force, retreated in disarray into the Tumbuns waterways, evacuating several of their casualties,” he added.

A post-battle assessment confirmed the death of six terrorists and the recovery of several weapons and ammunition, including five AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, 258 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five RPG bombs, four armed drone bombs, five hand grenades, two bandoliers, and an Android phone.

Follow-up airstrikes by Nigerian and Nigerien Air Forces reportedly neutralised additional insurgents as they fled the battlefield.

Sanni also disclosed that a few personnel of the Joint Task Force and Civilian Joint Task Force sustained minor injuries during the encounter. They have since been evacuated and are in stable condition.

“The MNJTF provided Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) support to enhance situational awareness for ground troops,” he said, noting that clearance operations were still underway to track fleeing insurgents.

The Military High Command commended the troops for their bravery and professionalism, reaffirming the Armed Forces’ commitment to restoring peace and stability across the North East.

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In June, Operation Hadin Kai troops had similarly thwarted a Boko Haram and ISWAP attack on the Naval Base at Lake Chad Fish Dam, when terrorists attempted to destroy swamp bogeys recently procured by the Borno State Government to clear waterways in the area.