Troops of the Nigerian Army have successfully rescued 386 civilians, mostly women and children, from Sambisa forest, a decade after their abduction.
This was disclosed by Brig. Gen. AGL Haruna, the acting GOC 7 Division while briefing newsmen at the outskirts of Sambisa forest in Konduga LGA, following the culmination of the 10-day operation dubbed “Operation Desert Sanity III”.
The mission’s major objective was to eradicate any lingering presence of terrorists within the forest while also providing an avenue for those willing to surrender to do so safely.
Brig. Gen. Haruna expressed optimism that many terrorists would opt to surrender, citing the recent trend of surrenders observed during the operation.
While commending the troops’ dedication and professionalism, Brig. Gen. Haruna emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum in their efforts. Among the rescued individuals were survivors who recounted a harrowing decade-long captivity.
Troops from 21 Special Armoured Brigade, 26 Task Force Brigade, and 199 Special Forces collaborated in the significant rescue operation.