No fewer than two top commanders of ISWAP terrorist group and 84 of their fighters have been killed in a coordinated decoy ambush operation in the Malam Fatori axis of Borno State.
PRNigeria quoted military sources as describing the operation as one of the most successful offensives against insurgents in recent times.
According to sources, the troops combined deception tactics, precision airstrikes, and ground assault to decisively neutralize the terrorists.
A defence intelligence source disclosed that the Nigerian military high command had received credible and actionable intelligence from international technical partners indicating the movement of ISWAP/Boko Haram fighters towards a strategic target in the area.
Rather than adopt a conventional defensive posture, military commanders opted for a calculated strategy to draw the terrorists into a trap.
Ground forces were tactically positioned in concealed locations, while air assets were placed on standby, locked onto confirmed coordinates and ready to strike once the insurgents entered the designated zone.
“Once the terrorists moved into the trap, the airstrikes were activated with precision accuracy on their positions,” the source said.
The source added that the operation followed a classic deception-based model, successfully luring the insurgents into a coordinated air and ground assault.
“We were fully aware of their movement and communication patterns. This operation led them straight into their Waterloo,” the source said.
It was gathered that troops of the 68 Battalion played a pivotal role in repelling the attempted infiltration and executing the follow-up exploitation mission in the area.
Among those killed were two high-ranking ISWAP commanders identified as Amir Abu Aisha (aka Nagif) and Amir Abu Ali Chaptar (aka Gunner Sambisa). Their bodies were recovered and confirmed by members of the Hybrid Forces at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kangar.
Additional fleeing terrorists in the Arege general area were also neutralised through coordinated mortar fire and air interdiction along their withdrawal routes.
Following the airstrikes, troops launched an aggressive pursuit of fleeing insurgents, engaging them with sustained gunfire and conducting mop-up operations to eliminate surviving fighters.
Security sources confirmed that four Nigerian soldiers sustained minor injuries during the operation.
A significant cache of weapons and logistics items was recovered from the terrorists. Items seized include AK-47 rifles, PKM machine guns, RPG bombs, hand grenades, mortar bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and handheld communication radios.
Other recovered materials include desert boots, bandoliers, camel bags, mobile phones, power banks, as well as documents containing names and contact details of suspected terrorist operatives.
The success of the operation underscores the growing importance of intelligence sharing, joint operations, and precision targeting in Nigeria’s ongoing counter-insurgency campaign.
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