Troops of the north east joint task force Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), on Monday, February 16, confirmed the neutralization of an Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, identified as Abou Aisha, while repelling terrorist attacks in Pulka and Mandaragirau communities of Borno state.
Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists advancing from Sambisa forest axis on February 14, launched an attack on sector one troops stationed in Pulka.
Despite briefly breaching a section of the defensive perimeter and destroying some combat equipment and accommodation facilities, troops mounted a robust defense that forced the attackers into retreat.
However, reinforcements from the 26 brigade were swiftly deployed, overwhelming the terrorists and pushing them back towards the Sambisa axis.
Intelligence assessments indicated severe casualties, including Abou Aisha, who died from gunshot wounds sustained in the clash.
Remarkably, no military personnel were killed during the Pulka engagement.
Simultaneously, troops of sector two at Mandaragirau faced a coordinated multi-pronged attack by terrorists mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles.
According to the joint task force spokesperson, Sani Uba, the troops had already anticipated the attack and had strategically positioned combat teams that engaged the attackers in fierce combat, preventing any breach of defensive positions.
The attack was successfully repelled; however, some gallant soldiers and civilian joint task force members lost their lives during the confrontation, while several soldiers sustained injuries.
The wounded personnel were immediately evacuated by the air component of OPHK and Nigerian army aviation platforms.
Subsequent clearance operations along Kimba axis uncovered blood trails, shallow graves, and abandoned equipment, suggesting heavy losses among the fleeing terrorists, confirming the eyewitness account of massive terrorist casualties.
The military high command commended the troops for their professionalism and resilience, noting that these failed attacks are a sign of mounting pressure on terrorist groups.
Uba reaffirmed OPHK’s commitment to sustaining offensives aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and stabilising communities across the region.
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