Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have repelled an attempted attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on a military base in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, with several insurgents reportedly killed.
The attack occurred around 2am on Saturday, August 15, when the terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the 162 Amphibious Battalion’s Forward Operating Base in Mandaragirau from two directions.
In a statement, the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said troops detected the attackers through surveillance and early-warning systems before they reached the base.
According to him, a combat team was deployed to intercept one group of insurgents, leading to an intense exchange of gunfire. The attackers were reportedly overpowered and forced to retreat.
A second group attempted to circumvent the troops and gain entry into the camp but also encountered strong resistance and was repelled.
Goni said the troops pursued the fleeing insurgents and searched the areas where the confrontation occurred and the routes used during their withdrawal.
Several ISWAP fighters were reportedly killed during the operation, while troops recovered weapons and other equipment, including AK-47 rifles with loaded magazines, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, RPG bombs and chargers, a video camera and other military items.
The military spokesman said surveillance footage later showed some of the fleeing terrorists attempting to remove the bodies of their dead colleagues from the area towards the Timbuktu Triangle.
He said no military personnel was killed or wounded during the operation.
The Theatre Command described the successful defence of the base as evidence of the troops’ preparedness and ability to respond to coordinated attacks.
Goni commended the personnel of the 162 Amphibious Battalion for their courage and professionalism, saying their response helped prevent the insurgents from gaining access to the military position.
Operation HADIN KAI, he added, would continue efforts to restrict the movement of terrorist groups and strengthen security across Borno and other parts of the North-East.
