Troops of Operation HADIN KAI repelled an attempted attack by suspected ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters in Kirawa, Borno State, killing 12 militants and recovering weapons.
The military said the assault targeted positions held by the 153 Task Force Battalion and allied forces along the Nigeria–Cameroon border in Sector 1 of the Joint Task Force (North East) area of responsibility.
Soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force detected the infiltration early and responded with heavy fire, forcing the attackers to retreat toward Cameroon, said Lt Col Sani Uba, Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force (North East).
“Lt Col Uba said air surveillance and reconnaissance assets supported the ground troops during the engagement. Blood trails and surveillance indicated several other fighters fled with gunshot wounds,” he stated.
Following the encounter, troops recovered AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade systems, ammunition, and a PKT machine gun.
Clearance and exploitation operations are ongoing to track fleeing militants and recover additional material, according to the spokesperson.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their professionalism and swift response, marking the third successful defense in the area this week.
It urged forces to sustain operational pressure until militant groups are neutralised across the theatre.
Kirawa lies in a volatile stretch of the border region that has seen repeated cross-border attacks by insurgent groups. Operation HADIN KAI is Nigeria’s ongoing counterinsurgency operation in the North East.
