Troops of the Nigerian military’s Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, have killed six suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists while repelling an attack on a military base in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The terrorists reportedly attacked the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Garaha at about 9:07 p.m., advancing on foot from the LAR axis in an attempt to overrun the military position.
However, troops of Sector 4 responded with superior firepower and tactical coordination, forcing the attackers to retreat.
The Acting Military Information Officer at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Goni said a subsequent search of the area led to the discovery of six terrorist corpses, confirming the number of insurgents killed during the encounter.
He added that the troops recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and other combat equipment during the operation.
The recovered weapons included one PKT machine gun with three ammunition belts containing 67 rounds, six AK-47 rifles and 11 AK-47 magazines.
The troops also recovered 157 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and one 60mm mortar bomb.
Other items recovered from the scene included an Infinix Android phone, a Canon portable video recorder, three camelback water bags, one magazine carrier and assorted clothing.
The military, however, acknowledged that some personnel sustained casualties during the encounter, adding that the wounded troops were receiving medical attention while arrangements for their evacuation were ongoing.
Following the attack, troops have maintained heightened vigilance and continued search operations in the surrounding areas to prevent further assaults and recover additional items of operational importance.
The Theatre Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining aggressive, intelligence-driven operations to deny terrorists freedom of action, protect vulnerable communities and degrade insurgent capabilities across the North-East.
It added that Operation Hadin Kai would continue its efforts to consolidate ongoing security operations and restore lasting peace and stability in the region.
The military did not disclose the number of personnel who sustained casualties or the extent of their injuries.