Nigerian troops have killed a suspected terrorist
lieutenant and recovered a cache of weapons during an operation in Katsina
State, while a separate coordinated military operation foiled a terrorist
attack in Kukawa, Borno State.
The Katsina operation was conducted on Saturday,
August 29, 2026, in identified terrorist enclaves in Matazu Local Government
Area.
In a statement on Sunday, the Media Information
Officer of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant
Colonel Aliyu Danja, said troops of Sector 2 encountered strong resistance from
armed terrorists during the operation.
He said the troops responded with superior firepower,
forcing the terrorists to abandon their positions and flee.
During a subsequent search of the area, troops
confirmed the death of a terrorist identified as “Smally”, whom the Army
described as a lieutenant to notorious terrorist leader Kachalla Muhammadu
Filani.
The troops also recovered three machine guns, two
AK-47 rifles, 11 magazines, 180 rounds of ammunition and six motorcycles
allegedly used by the terrorists.
The Army said the operation formed part of sustained
efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and weaken their operational
capabilities across the Joint Operations Area.
It added that troops would continue to maintain
pressure on terrorist groups, restrict their freedom of movement and create
conditions for the restoration of peace and security in affected communities.
Troops Foil Attack on Kukawa
Meanwhile, troops of the Joint Task Force North East,
Operation HADIN KAI, have foiled an attempted terrorist attack on Kukawa town
in Borno State, reportedly killing several terrorists and destroying 10
motorcycles.
The attack occurred at about 10:50 p.m. on Friday,
August 28, when terrorists attacked troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion
stationed in Kukawa.
According to the Acting Military Information Officer
of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, the troops responded with
coordinated direct and indirect fire, forcing the attackers to retreat towards
the Cross Kauwa axis.
Several terrorists were reportedly killed during the
engagement, while others sustained gunshot wounds as they fled. Troops later
recovered some of the bodies during exploitation operations.
As the attackers attempted to escape on motorcycles,
the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI launched an aerial interdiction
mission.
Despite difficult weather conditions, the aircraft
reportedly engaged terrorists hiding beneath trees, killing an estimated 10
fighters.
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance assets
of the Multinational Joint Task Force subsequently tracked about 20 motorcycles
carrying fleeing terrorists towards the Tunbuns/Kangarwa axis.
Acting on the intelligence, the Air Component
conducted a follow-up precision strike that reportedly killed another 15
terrorists and destroyed 10 motorcycles.
During subsequent ground operations, troops recovered
two motorcycles, killed another terrorist and seized assorted ammunition and
other items.
The military said the coordinated operation disrupted
the attempted attack, prevented the terrorists from regrouping and further
weakened their mobility and fighting capacity.
Four military personnel sustained injuries during the
engagement. The military said none of the injuries was life-threatening and
that the affected personnel were evacuated by air for medical treatment and
were in stable condition.
Troops have since commenced further exploitation and
reorganisation of the area, while battle damage assessment and evaluation of
the operation continue.
The Joint Task Force said the operation demonstrated
the importance of combining ground forces, air power and intelligence
capabilities in countering terrorist threats.
Comments:
Leave a Reply