Troops Rescue 92 Abducted Civilians, Foil Terrorists’ IED Ambush In Borno
In a major boost to ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in Nigeria’s North-East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI have rescued 92 kidnapped civilians after foiling an attempted ambush by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists along the Buratai-Kamuya road in Borno State.
The swift rescue operation, carried out on Saturday in Biu Local Government Area, underscores the increasing surveillance capability and rapid response strategy being deployed by the military to protect vulnerable communities from terrorist attacks and abductions.
According to the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, alert troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion stationed at Dutse Kura detected terrorists herding civilians and vehicles into the bush at about 11:22am through surveillance monitoring systems.
Following the discovery, a Quick Reaction Force was immediately mobilised, while reinforcement troops from the 27 Task Force Brigade Garrison joined the pursuit in a coordinated operation towards the Mangari-Dora axis.
Military authorities said the troops engaged the fleeing insurgents, forcing them to abandon their captives and escape in disarray.
The operation led to the successful rescue of 92 victims, comprising 52 men, 33 women and seven children.
Eight vehicles abandoned during the attack were also recovered.
In an attempt to slow down the advancing troops, the terrorists reportedly planted three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the Bula Zarma-Mangari route.
However, the military’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team detected and safely detonated all the explosives, effectively neutralising the ambush attempt and allowing troops to continue the pursuit for several kilometres beyond Mangari.
Operation HADIN KAI confirmed that no personnel or equipment casualties were recorded during the operation.
The rescued civilians were provided immediate welfare support and escorted safely to Damaturu, where they were reunited to continue their journey.
Military authorities described the operation as another clear indication of the operational readiness and combat effectiveness of troops in the North-East theatre, warning that any attempt by terrorists to attack or intimidate civilians would continue to attract overwhelming military response.
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