Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully repelled an attempted attack by suspected ISWAP terrorists on the 120 Task Force Battalion in Gonori, Borno State, killing scores of insurgents during a coordinated air-land operation.
The failed assault occurred late Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday when the terrorists reportedly advanced toward the military formation from the Mandunari axis.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the insurgents were detected early by vigilant troops on operation, prompting an immediate counteroffensive.
Uba said the troops launched a “well-coordinated spoiling attack” that trapped the terrorists in a devastating killing zone, preventing any breach of the camp.
He added that the Air Component of OPHK, alongside the Nigerian Army Aviation, subsequently carried out synchronized aerial strikes on the fleeing insurgents, inflicting heavy casualties and ensuring what he described as the “totality of their defeat.”
“Exploitation of the general area revealed extensive blood trails, body parts and battle damage consistent with scores of terrorist casualties, in addition to terrorist corpses recovered within the immediate vicinity,” the statement said.
Troops also recovered several weapons and ammunition from the scene, including one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two PKT machine guns, five AK-47 rifles, and multiple belts of assorted ammunition.
The military, however, disclosed that some soldiers sustained injuries during the encounter but noted that the wounded personnel were in stable condition and receiving medical attention.
Operation HADIN KAI said exploitation operations were ongoing in the area to track fleeing terrorists and consolidate the gains recorded during the encounter.
The military high command commended the troops for their resilience and gallantry, urging them to sustain the operational momentum against insurgents across the North-East theatre.
