Troops of the 68 Battalion under Sector 3 of Operation HADIN KAI have destroyed a Boko Haram/ISWAP hideout and recovered three AK-47 rifles during a clearance operation in the Mallam Fatori axis of Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources disclosed that the operation was carried out at about 5:00 a.m. on Thursday as part of follow-up operations after terrorists launched a failed attack on the battalion’s defensive position on July 29.
According to the sources, the troops traced the withdrawal route used by the insurgents after the failed assault, leading them to a concealed hideout at Kaniram East.
The sources said the troops advanced on the camp using stealth tactics before launching a coordinated assault with superior firepower.
During the operation, one terrorist was killed, while two others reportedly escaped into the surrounding bush with gunshot wounds.
A subsequent search of the hideout led to the recovery of three AK-47 rifles, three magazines, 39 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one Tecno mobile phone, one Niger Republic SIM card, one MP3 player and a 100 CFA recharge card.
Security sources said, “After clearing the area, the troops destroyed the terrorists’ camp and set it ablaze to deny the insurgents further use of the location before returning safely to base.”
The sources added that the recovered communication devices and other items were expected to provide valuable intelligence to support ongoing military operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks operating around the Lake Chad Basin.
The latest operation forms part of the sustained offensive by Operation HADIN KAI to hunt down fleeing insurgents, destroy their hideouts and prevent them from regrouping following intensified military operations across the North-East.
