Troops of the Nigerian Army under Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have recorded significant operational gains in northern Borno, clearing several ISWAP terrorist camps and repelling both drone and ground attacks during the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity.
The development was disclosed by counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, in a post on his X handle on Sunday.
According to sources cited by Makama, the latest phase of the operation began early on January 18, when troops of the Army’s Intervention Battalion moved out from a harbour area to conduct clearance operations across “a wide swathe of difficult terrain and known insurgent hideouts around Chiralia, Garin Faruk and Abima axis.”
The sources said the troops “methodically cleared several locations and camps that showed signs of recent human activity but had been hastily deserted before their arrival,” an indication of “intelligence-led pressure on terrorist elements in the area.”
At about 12:40 p.m., the advancing troops reportedly came under what was described as “a rare and worrying attack by a terrorist-operated armed drone.” Three soldiers sustained injuries in the strike but were said to be “in stable condition and receiving medical care.”
Despite the drone attack, the sources noted that “the troops maintained momentum and continued the clearance.”
During the operation, the soldiers recovered several terrorist items, including, “a Baofeng radio set, a small button phone, five empty AK-47 magazines, 63 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm special ammunition, 71 rounds of 7.62mm NATO belted ammunition, empty 12.7 x 108mm links, several Boko Haram/ISWAP flags, and an unquantified quantity of medical supplies.”
Later in the day, as the troops settled into a new harbour area, the terrorists launched a ground assault at about 7:10 p.m. The sources said “the attack lasted roughly 25 minutes but was decisively repelled by the troops.”
“The troops maintained control of the situation, and the area remained under firm military dominance,” the post added.
