Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised 38 fighters of Islamic State West Africa Province following an attempted assault on a Forward Operating Base in Borno State.
The Joint Task Force, North East, said the terrorists attacked the Forward Operating Base at Mandaragirau in Sector 2 early Saturday but were repelled after a coordinated response by ground troops supported by the Air Component of the operation.
In a statement, the task force’s Media Information Officer, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said troops executed “well-coordinated ambushes and a deliberate offensive-defensive response” that forced the attackers into a disorderly retreat.
He added that close air support further targeted fleeing fighters along their withdrawal routes, inflicting additional casualties. About eight bodies were recovered at the engagement site, while local intelligence indicated more than 30 others were killed along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis toward the Timbuktu Triangle.
Troops also recovered seven AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, four rocket-propelled grenade bombs, and assorted ammunition abandoned by the fleeing insurgents.
According to the statement, no fatalities were recorded among the troops, although one Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was hit by RPG fire and injured personnel were promptly stabilised.
The military said the operation has reinforced troop dominance in the area and boosted morale among surrounding communities, where residents reportedly expressed relief following the failed attack.
