Troops of the Nigerian Army have reportedly killed more than 25 suspected Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters during a fierce attack on a military position in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The military also confirmed that some soldiers were killed while repelling the insurgents’ assault.
The Acting Military Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to Goni, the insurgents launched a coordinated attack on troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion, advancing on the military position simultaneously from four different directions.
He said the soldiers resisted the offensive with support from the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai.
Goni explained that the insurgents attempted to overwhelm the military position through a large-scale assault but were forced to withdraw after encountering stiff resistance from the troops.
He said:
“The terrorists, who attacked troops of 101 Special Forces Battalion in large numbers from four different flanks, met stiff resistance as the troops responded decisively with superior firepower, tactical manoeuvre and effective battlefield coordination.
“Supported by the Air Component, the troops overwhelmed the terrorists, inflicted heavy casualties and forced the surviving elements to flee in disarray.”
According to the military, preliminary assessment indicated that more than 25 terrorists were neutralised, while 14 bodies had been recovered as of the time of the statement.
Troops also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition during an exploitation of the area, including six AK-47 rifles.
The military said further operations were ongoing to recover additional weapons, track the fleeing insurgents and prevent them from regrouping.
Goni, however, confirmed that some soldiers were killed during the encounter.
“Regrettably, some gallant soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice during the encounter,” he said.
The latest development comes as Nigerian security forces continue military operations against insurgent groups operating across parts of the North-East.
The figures provided by the military regarding the number of insurgents killed are preliminary and may be subject to further assessment as operations continue.