Troops Killed 27 Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists, Rescued 6 Kidnapped Female Victims – Multinational Joint Task Force

Troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force have said they killed over 20 Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.

According to the Task Force, the terrorists were killed on the fringes of the Lake Chad basin in Nigeria, Niger Republic, and Cameroon in collaboration with Air Task Force.

As part of Operation Lake Sanity at Forward Operations Base Arege, the troops said six female hostages were also rescued.

According to the spokesman for the Multinational Joint Task Force, Colonel Muhammad Dole, the female victims were kidnapped by the insurgents in Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, and Yobe states between October 2020 and April 2021.

Dole said about 20 terrorists were neutralised by the Air Task Force which identified intelligence-driven targets and engaged them, using multiple sorties in the vicinity of Tumbun Fulani and Tumbun Rago.

A statement by the spokesperson reads, “The ATF identified intelligence-driven targets which they engaged using multiple sorties in the vicinity of Tumbun Fulani and Tumbun Rago, where about 20 terrorists were neutralised.

“The criminals, on sighting the advancing troops, fled and abandoned their checkpoint, pulled off their uniforms and left their rifles and other equipment behind.

“Tunbun Rago was found deserted with Boko Haram corpses and a shallow grave containing Boko Haram corpses discovered, as the criminals beat a hasty retreat.

“Ground forces then advanced and reached Tunbun Fulani but could not access Tunbun Rago due to marshy terrain.”

It said two terrorism suspects were also killed in another encounter with Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents in the course of further clearance operations by MNJTF troops of Sector 1 (Cameroon) in the vicinity of Toumbuma, Kerenua, and Chikingudu,
“At the end of the earlier battle engagement around Tunbun Fulani and Tunbun Rago, six traumatised female BHTs hostages managed to escape and were found by own troops who then assisted them and brought them to own troop’s location.

“They were professionally handled and given medical care in the bush. The rescued women have been moved to Maiduguri for further processing and handover to the civil authorities before they rejoin their families

“Sadly, one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice and few others were wounded in action, currently receiving treatment at a military hospital,” the statement added.

Also, the MNJTF Nigerien troops of Sector 4 while on patrol in the general area of Ngagam – Kabalewa and N’guigmi reportedly engaged a group of fleeing terrorists, neutralised five BHT/ISWAP insurgents, destroyed two gun trucks, and also recovered a large stock of arms and ammunition.