Nigerian troops fighting under Operation Hadin Kai have killed 18 suspected terrorists and recovered weapons during operations in Borno State.
According to a statement by Lt Col Sani Uba, spokesperson for the joint task force in the North-East, the operations took place in two areas, namely Bulabulin Forest and the Timbuktu axis.
He said 11 terrorists were killed in Bulabulin, while seven were killed in the Timbuktu area.
The military said the missions were carried out by ground troops working closely with the Air Force. In Bulabulin Forest, soldiers cleared several terrorist hideouts in villages, including Mar, Subdu, Yaro Lawanti and Yaro Shuwari.
Uba explained that during the operation, troops, with support from air strikes, engaged the fighters in Malam Shiri village.
“They used a well-coordinated strategy to defeat the terrorists, killing 11 and forcing others to escape with injuries,” he said.
After the fighting, troops destroyed the terrorists’ camps and recovered weapons such as nine AK-47 rifles, three heavy machine guns, five motorcycles, and materials used to make explosives.
In a similar operation along the Wajiroko–Sabongari route in the Timbuktu axis, troops again clashed with terrorists and killed seven of them.
Uba added that signs at the scene suggested more fighters were injured or killed.
Other items recovered from that area included rifles, rocket-propelled grenade tubes, ammunition and communication devices.
The military also praised the role of the Air Force, saying it provided surveillance and carried out targeted air strikes that helped ground troops succeed.
Uba said more air attacks were launched on confirmed terrorist positions and fleeing fighters, leading to further losses on the side of the insurgents.
