Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have successfully repelled a midnight attack launched by suspected ISWAP terrorists on the 120 Task Force Battalion in Gonori, Borno State.
The attack reportedly began around midnight on May 9, 2026, when insurgents advanced toward the military formation from the Mandunari axis.
However, soldiers on duty detected the movement early and immediately responded with coordinated firepower.
According to a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, the troops launched what he described as a “well-coordinated spoiling attack” that trapped the terrorists in a deadly crossfire before they could penetrate the camp.
The military stated that the defensive operation later transformed into a combined land-and-air assault after fighter platforms from Operation HADIN KAI and the Nigerian Army Aviation joined the battle.
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Air strikes reportedly targeted fleeing insurgents, inflicting heavy casualties during the pursuit.
Military authorities said no part of the camp was overrun and no operational equipment was lost during the encounter.
Following the clash, troops conducted clearance operations around the area and reportedly discovered multiple blood trails, destroyed equipment, body parts, and corpses believed to belong to the attackers, indicating that several insurgents were killed during the operation.
Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition from the scene, including one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two PKT machine guns, five AK-47 rifles, and belts of assorted ammunition.
The Army further disclosed that soldiers injured during the exchange are currently receiving medical attention and are in stable condition, while follow-up operations are ongoing to track down fleeing insurgents in surrounding communities.
Operation HADIN KAI described the outcome as another indication of the military’s growing operational dominance against insurgent groups in the North-East, insisting that terrorist attacks against fortified military formations would continue to fail.
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