Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have successfully killed 16 ISWAP/Boko Haram fighters during an operation in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Defence Headquarters on Friday.
It said the terrorists were spotted around 1am and were immediately engaged with sustained indirect fire, leading to their elimination.
“The main thrust of the attack targeted the Brigade, prompting the swift deployment of air support to reinforce ground troops,” the army said.
It added that the combined firepower from both ground and air forces overwhelmed the insurgents after about two hours of intense engagement, forcing them to retreat in disarray.
The army added: “16 terrorists were neutralised during the encounter. A pursuit operation is currently ongoing to track down fleeing elements.”
The military also confirmed that an ammunition storage area was hit during the exchange but was swiftly brought under control, with no further escalation recorded.
The army reiterated its commitment to sustaining an offensive against all terrorist elements in the North East and restoring lasting peace to the region.
