OPERATION HADIN KAI: Air Strikes Eliminate 36 Terrorists in Borno
Air strikes conducted by the air component of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, have neutralised about 36 suspected terrorists in separate precision operations across Borno State.
The intelligence-led operations were conducted between the night of August 21 and the early hours of August 22, 2026, following credible intelligence and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that identified terrorist movements and concentrations in parts of the state.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Capt. Mohammed Goni, the strikes targeted terrorist concentrations in the Aduwa axis of Monguno Local Government Area and Buratai in Biu LGA.
Goni said an armed reconnaissance platform first detected and tracked suspected terrorists around the Aduwa axis in Monguno LGA before identifying a larger concentration within a settlement.
Following operational authorisation, the platform carried out two precision strikes on the target, with subsequent Battle Damage Assessment indicating that about 16 terrorists had been neutralised.
The aircraft maintained surveillance of the area and later detected another group of about 10 terrorists attempting to regroup away from the initial target.
A further precision engagement was conducted against the group, with post-strike assessment indicating that the terrorists had also been successfully engaged.
In a separate operation around Buratai in Biu LGA, another Operation HADIN KAI air platform tracked a group of suspected terrorists gathered at a location before conducting a precision strike after sustained surveillance and the requisite authorisation.
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The military said the strike successfully impacted the target, neutralising about 10 additional terrorists.
The latest operations, according to the statement, demonstrate the growing effectiveness of the task force’s integrated ISR capabilities in detecting and disrupting terrorist movements before they evolve into threats against troops and vulnerable communities.
The military also said the strikes underscored the inability of terrorist elements to rely on dispersal, concealment or remote locations to evade detection.
It said the sustained kinetic pressure was expected to further restrict the terrorists’ freedom of action, disrupt their command and control structures and place additional pressure on their logistics and fighting formations.
The air operations form part of the broader Operation HADIN KAI campaign to degrade terrorist capabilities and create a safer environment for communities across the North-East.
The military noted that kinetic operations were being complemented by non-kinetic measures, including community engagement, strategic communication, counter-messaging, humanitarian coordination and efforts to encourage terrorists and their associates to abandon violence and surrender.
According to the statement, the increasing number of terrorist surrenders recorded in recent weeks reflects the mounting pressure on terrorist networks and reinforces the availability of a pathway away from violence.
Operation HADIN KAI urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with timely and credible information to support early threat detection and the protection of lives and property.
The Joint Task Force said it would sustain coordinated operations against terrorist networks while supporting efforts to restore peace, security and normal socio-economic activities across the North-East.
By PRNigeria
