Linus Aleke in Abuja
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have repelled another coordinated night attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mairari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents and forcing them to retreat.
In a statement, the Acting Military Information Officer of Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the attack occurred on 1 July 2026 at about 11:25 p.m. when the terrorists launched an assault on the military location.
He said the troops of CIB XIX responded with exceptional gallantry, engaging the terrorists in a fierce gun battle that compelled them to withdraw in disarray after suffering heavy losses.
According to him, troops recovered several items abandoned by the fleeing insurgents, including AK-47 rifles, magazines loaded with ammunition and Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tubes, among other equipment.
He added that surveillance footage confirmed that the terrorists evacuated several of their dead and wounded fighters from the battlefield following the failed attack.
The military noted that the assault came barely weeks after the resettlement of the Mairari community, where more than 950 households had returned to their homes. It described the attack as a desperate attempt by the terrorists to instil fear among residents and disrupt the ongoing resettlement process.
However, the attempt was foiled, with no civilian casualties recorded during the incident.
The military, however, disclosed that two soldiers and one member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) lost their lives during the fierce exchange of fire. It also stated that a few pieces of equipment were damaged by Rocket Propelled Grenade fire during the encounter.
The Theatre Command expressed its condolences to the families and loved ones of the fallen personnel, describing them as gallant heroes who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
In a related development, Goni said a reinforcement team deployed from Monguno detected and safely detonated two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted along the route before engaging the fleeing terrorists.
He explained that the swift intervention further disrupted the insurgents’ withdrawal and inflicted additional casualties on them.
The successful defence of the military base, he said, highlights the high level of operational readiness, resilience and combat effectiveness of troops of Operation Hadin Kai.
Despite the terrorists’ determined effort to overrun the location, the troops retained full control of the base and have continued to dominate the operational environment through sustained offensive operations.
The Theatre Command commended the courage, resilience and fighting spirit of the troops for defeating the terrorists and denying them any operational success.
It reiterated that Operation Hadin Kai remains steadfast in its commitment to defeating terrorism and restoring lasting peace, security and stability across the North-east.
