Ground troops, supported by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), have repelled coordinated attacks by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on multiple military locations in Borno State.

The affected locations are in Njimtilo, Baga, Buratai, and Damboa.

The attacks were launched in the early hours of March 16 from multiple directions, in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to overrun military positions and gain a propaganda advantage against the military, according to the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba.

Uba said the troops employed coordinated firepower and tactical manoeuvres to disrupt the attackers and block their withdrawal routes, forcing them into a chaotic retreat with heavy casualties.

He said, “At Ajiri Cross, ahead of Njimtilo, terrorists attempted to infiltrate positions mounted by troops of Sector 1 but were swiftly detected and decisively engaged by the vigilant troops who had anticipated the move and prepared a deliberate offensive-defensive posture to defeat the assault.

“Similar desperate attacks at Baga, Buratai, and Damboa were met with determined resistance as troops brought superior firepower to bear on the attackers.

“The engagements were further reinforced by timely close air support from the Air Component and the Nigerian Army Aviation, whose precision strikes disrupted the terrorists’ assault formations and compounded their losses as they attempted to withdraw.

“During the engagements, several terrorists were neutralised, including a key leader who spearheaded the Buratai assault, while many others sustained injuries as they fled along their withdrawal routes…Seven terrorist corpses were recovered while the miscreants buried another 20 bodies in shallow graves.”

The military spokesperson said that the intensity of the firefights by the terrorists destroyed some equipment and several wounded several personnel, but troops remained “resolute and maintained firm control of all locations” as they continued to pursue the fleeing terrorists.

He said following the engagements, troops conducted exploitation operations around Baga, extending to Korochara and Garin Giwa ahead of the Gidan Kaje general area.

“During the operation, troops recovered significant quantities of enemy weapons and equipment, including three PKT machine guns, seven AK-47 rifles, 206 rounds of PKT ammunition, 418 rounds of anti-aircraft ammunition, seven AK-47 magazines, three AK-74 magazines, and three RPG bombs, among other items,” Uba said.

The military spokesperson said that the failed terrorist attacks had further demonstrated the growing desperation of terrorist elements under sustained operational pressure from security forces across the North East frontlines.

*The successive defeats inflicted on the terrorists have significantly constrained their freedom of action and disrupted their attempts to create false propaganda narratives,” he said. (The nation)