Troops Foil ISWAP Assault on Gonori, Neutralise Scores in Air-Land Offensive
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have repelled an attempted attack by ISWAP terrorists on the 120 Task Force Battalion in Gonori, Borno State, killing several insurgents during a coordinated ground and aerial assault.
The military disclosed that the attack occurred between the late hours of Saturday, May 9, and the early hours of Sunday, May 10, 2026, when terrorists reportedly advanced towards the battalion location from the Mandunari axis at about midnight.
According to a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the insurgents were detected early by an ambush team deployed around the area, prompting troops to launch what he described as a “well-coordinated spoiling attack.”
The statement noted that the operation forced the terrorists into a deadly killing zone, preventing any breach of the military facility and ensuring that no equipment was lost during the encounter.
Read Also:
It added that air platforms from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, alongside the Nigerian Army Aviation, subsequently carried out synchronized air strikes targeting the fleeing insurgents, leading to what the military described as the “total defeat” of the attackers.
“Exploitation of the general area revealed extensive blood trails, body parts and battle damage consistent with scores of terrorist casualties, in addition to terrorist corpses recovered within the immediate vicinity,” the statement said.
Troops also recovered several weapons and ammunition from the scene, including one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two PKT machine guns, five AK-47 rifles and multiple belts of assorted ammunition, alongside other personal effects belonging to the insurgents.
The military further confirmed that some soldiers sustained injuries during the confrontation but stated that the affected personnel were in stable condition and receiving medical attention.
Operation HADIN KAI said exploitation operations were ongoing in the area to track fleeing terrorists and consolidate operational gains.
The military added that the failed attack underscored the continued operational dominance of troops in the North-East theatre and demonstrated the resilience of forces deployed against insurgency in the region.
By PRNigeria
