Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed 10 insurgents linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including two senior commanders, Basulhu and his deputy Ubaida, in Borno State.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to Zagazola Makama, a counterinsurgency publication covering the Lake Chad region, the troops also recovered a significant cache of arms and equipment during the operation.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at about 9:30 a.m. during the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity/Siege Patrol. Sector 1 troops, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and local hunters, were ambushed by insurgents using a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) and gunfire.
“The attack was followed by the detonation of an IED, but the swift response of the troops compelled the terrorists to withdraw in disarray, with several killed and others sustaining gunshot wounds,” a security source told Makama.
Reinforcements from Ngoshe in Gwoza LGA blocked the insurgents’ retreat along the Mandara Mountains’ foothills, ambushing fleeing fighters. The pursuit enabled the troops to recover the bodies of the insurgents and seize equipment.
Items recovered included three AK-47 rifles, a pump-action gun, five motorcycles, two hand grenades, two Baofeng radios, 12 AK-47 magazines, 197 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, an RPG charger, two detonating cords, 13 nine-volt batteries, an iron bar, a bandolier, and a camel bag.
The operation represents a significant setback for insurgent activities in the area, highlighting the continued coordination between military forces and local vigilante groups in counterterrorism efforts.
