Troops kill 16 Boko Haram terrorists in Borno

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, have killed 16 Boko Haram terrorists who attempted to infiltrate the 25 Taskforce Brigade headquarters in Damboa, near the Sambisa Forest.

The encounter occurred around 1am on Friday when soldiers spotted a group of insurgents approaching and immediately engaged them with heavy fire.

After about two hours of intense combat, the terrorists were forced to withdraw, with several escaping with gunshot wounds while 16 of them were neutralised on the spot.

Confirming the incident to Channels Television, the spokesperson for the Northeast Joint Taskforce, Captain Reuben Kovangiya, said the timely support from the air component of the Joint Taskforce was crucial in the operation’s success.

He added that troops had since intensified offensives into the forest in a bid to clear out remaining terrorists.

Weapons and materials used for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered from the scene after the failed infiltration attempt.

In a separate operation, troops responded to intelligence about insurgents attempting to steal food from a civilian vehicle near Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Area.

During the engagement, six terrorists were killed, while an AK-47 rifle and rounds of ammunition were recovered.

Additionally, on Thursday, soldiers from Forward Operation Base Molai, alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), ambushed insurgents at a known crossing point near Komala along the Maiduguri-Damboa Road.

An unconfirmed number of terrorists were neutralised, with several motorcycles, IED materials, and other items seized.

Security operatives say operations are ongoing in the region to sustain pressure on the insurgents and disrupt their activities around Sambisa and surrounding communities.