Troops of 152 Task Force Battalion in conjunction with the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI on Sunday killed several marauding members of Boko Haram (BHT) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), while attempting to infiltrate the Forward Operational Base at Bula Yobe in Borno State.
Confirming the report, Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu said the terrorists, who came mounted on gun trucks and several motorcycles attacked the location via an unsuspected crossing point, but were met with heavy volume of fire from the vigilant troops.
Unfortunately, two soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice, while five others sustained injury, the statement said.
Nwachukwu said the land troops, in swif and decisive engagement with the terrorists, forced them to retreat, having lost initiative.
He said the troops sustained the fire fight and successfully neutralised 12 of them with several others fleeing with gun-shot wounds.
Nwachukwu said the troops also captured one gun truck, one self propelled gun-9, one dushika gun and one mounted QJC machine gun.
Other items captured are one light machine gun and five AK 47 rifles.
He said the two dead soldiers have taken to morgue while those who sustained varying degrees of injury have been evacuated by the Air component of OPHK to a medical facility, where they are currently receiving medical attention.
The Army spokesman said the general area within FOB Bula Yobe is cool and calm under the control of troops of the battalion.
He said further exploitation by the resilient troops is ongoing.
He said the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya has lauded the troops and the Air Component for their synergy and quick response, which is in tandem with the ongoing rejigging of the counter terrorism counter insurgency operations in the North East.
Nwachukwu said the CoAS charged the troops to maintain the tempo and vehemently hold their ground, to deny the terrorists freedom of action.
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