Troops destroy ISWAP detention camps in Timbuktu Triangle, free captives

Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have destroyed three terrorist detention facilities belonging to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) deep inside the forested Timbuktu Triangle in Gujba Local Government Area, marking a major breakthrough in ongoing counter-insurgency operations.

The military said the operation, carried out over the past two weeks under Operation Desert Sanity V, pushed troops into areas long considered strongholds of the terrorists, forcing them to abandon key facilities.

According to the task force, the discovered camps were used as detention centres with the capacity to hold up to 300 captives, underscoring their strategic importance to the group’s operations.

Preliminary findings indicated that sustained offensive pressure by the troops led to the escape of more than 70 detainees who had been held by the terrorists. Several of the escapees have since resurfaced in communities including Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau.

One of the freed captives, Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village near Buratai in Biu Local Government Area, said he escaped during a gun battle between troops and the insurgents. He had reportedly been abducted in December 2025.

The military disclosed that ISWAP suffered heavy casualties during the encounters, with at least 32 fighters neutralised, including two senior commanders identified as Qaids and three Munzirs. Several others were said to have sustained injuries.

After clearing the area, troops demolished the detention facilities to prevent the terrorists from reoccupying or reusing them.

Military authorities described the destruction of the camps as more than a tactical success, noting that it weakens ISWAP’s ability to detain civilians, collect ransom and enforce control over local populations.

They added that testimonies from escaped detainees could provide valuable intelligence for future operations.

Despite describing the security situation across the theatre as calm but unpredictable, the military said troops remain motivated and committed to sustaining pressure on terrorist elements, denying them safe havens and restoring lasting peace in the North East.