The Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai has neutralised more than 50 suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters following precision air strikes on their withdrawal routes after a failed assault on Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources said the insurgents launched a coordinated attack on artillery positions in Ngoshe at about 7:30 p.m. on March 3. The community is located approximately 12 kilometres from Pulka and 31 kilometres from Gwoza town.
According to the sources, the terrorists attempted to overrun the military position in a surprise evening offensive. Troops on ground reportedly responded effectively but carried out a tactical withdrawal under intense fire to safeguard personnel and equipment while reinforcements were mobilised.
The attackers were said to have employed a hit-and-withdraw tactic, fleeing the area before reinforcement troops could fully secure the location.
Additional troops were subsequently deployed, while surveillance platforms tracked the fleeing insurgents along identified escape routes.
“Upon receipt of real-time intelligence from ground troops, surveillance aircraft were scrambled to engage the terrorists on their egress routes. They were sighted moving in clusters in multiple locations,” a source disclosed.
“Precision bombardment was conducted on confirmed target clusters and movement trails. Battle Damage Assessment indicates that over 50 terrorists were neutralised in two separate strike runs,” the source added.
The air-ground coordination under Operation Hadin Kai ensured that the fleeing insurgents were engaged even as they attempted to escape into forested enclaves. The strikes also reportedly disrupted their logistics and mobility along the Ngoshe–Pulka corridor.
Sources further stated that clearance and area domination operations are ongoing to prevent any regrouping by the insurgents.
The Ngoshe–Gwoza axis has remained a volatile corridor due to intermittent activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP remnants exploiting the difficult terrain and proximity to cross-border forest zones.
Military authorities reassured residents of Gwoza and surrounding communities of their commitment to protecting lives, supporting resettlement efforts, and sustaining offensive operations against insurgent groups in Borno State.
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