Military Repels ISWAP Attack on Mairari Base, Kill Scores, Recover Weapons
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have repelled a coordinated night attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Mairari in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, killing several insurgents and recovering weapons.
The military disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni.
According to the statement, the terrorists launched the attack on the base at about 11:25 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, but were met with stiff resistance from troops of CIB XIX stationed at the facility.
The military said the troops displayed exceptional bravery during the ensuing gun battle, forcing the insurgents to retreat after inflicting heavy casualties on them and destroying some of their equipment.
Items recovered after the encounter included AK-47 rifles, magazines loaded with ammunition, Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tubes and other military hardware.
The statement added that surveillance footage obtained after the operation confirmed that the fleeing terrorists evacuated several of their dead and wounded fighters from the battlefield.
The military noted that the attack appeared to be a desperate attempt to undermine the ongoing resettlement of displaced persons in Mairari, where more than 950 households had recently returned to rebuild their lives.
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It, however, said the terrorists failed to achieve their objective, as no civilian casualties were recorded during the attack.
Despite the operational success, the military confirmed that two soldiers and one member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) were killed while defending the base.
It also disclosed that a few military equipment were damaged by Rocket Propelled Grenade fire during the exchange.
“The Theatre Command mourns these gallant heroes and extends its heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones,” the statement said.
In a related operation, the military said a reinforcement team deployed from Monguno detected and safely detonated two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted along the route by the fleeing insurgents before engaging them.
According to the statement, the swift intervention disrupted the terrorists’ withdrawal and inflicted additional casualties on the retreating fighters.
The Theatre Command said the successful defence of the base demonstrated the high level of operational readiness, resilience and combat effectiveness of troops of Operation HADIN KAI.
It stressed that despite the terrorists’ attempt to overrun the location, troops retained full control of the Forward Operating Base and continued to dominate the operational environment through sustained offensive operations.
The command commended the courage, resilience and fighting spirit of the troops, reiterating that Operation HADIN KAI remains committed to defeating terrorism and restoring lasting peace, security and stability across the North-East.
By PRNigeria
