Odita Sunday 
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have dealt a crushing blow to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, killing no fewer than 38 fighters during a failed attack on a military base in Borno State.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Mandaragirau in Sector 2, was decisively repelled by Nigerian troops with support from the Air Component.
Military sources said the terrorists launched what was described as a “half-hearted” multi-front assault but were met with heavy resistance and superior firepower.
In a statement, the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the troops executed “well-coordinated ambushes and a deliberate offensive-defensive response” that forced the attackers into a chaotic retreat.
According to him, “a total of about 38 terrorists were neutralised, with eight bodies recovered within the immediate engagement area.”
He added that intelligence from local sources confirmed that over 30 additional bodies of fleeing terrorists were sighted along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis leading into the notorious Timbuktu Triangle.
“The withdrawal routes were littered with blood trails and abandoned equipment, indicating heavy losses suffered by the terrorists,” Uba said.
Troops, he disclosed, recovered a cache of weapons, including seven AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, four rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs and assorted ammunition.
Despite the intensity of the attack, the military recorded no fatalities, although one Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was hit by RPG fire, leaving some personnel injured.
“The injured personnel were promptly stabilised, and there was no loss of life on the side of the troops.
”Air support played a critical role in the operation, providing real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as close air strikes that enhanced ground troops’ effectiveness,” the statement added.
Military authorities said the scale of the terrorists’ losses has triggered widespread jubilation among residents in nearby communities.
Razornews reports that the operation reinforces the growing dominance of Nigerian forces in the North-East and their ability to repel coordinated insurgent attacks.
“The success underscores the sustained pressure being mounted on terrorist enclaves, denying them freedom of action,” Uba stated.
He added that follow-up exploitation operations are ongoing along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis to recover more bodies and consolidate gains.
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