Top ISWAP Commander, 41 Terrorists Killed As Troops Storm Hideout In Borno

A commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abu Zahra, and forty-one terrorists have been killed in a special Operation by troops of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ North East in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

Naija News learned that Nigerian troops stormed the hideout of ISWAP terrorists in Mukdolo and Bone village, Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State, and killed the terrorists.

According to a counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, the troops eliminated the terrorists in a silent intelligence-led midnight operation,   while others flee for their lives.

He said sources said that the operation was coordinated by Maj. Gen. Shaibu Waidi, the General Officer Commanding the 7 Division and Commander of Sector 1, in Mukdolo and Bone village, located between Dikwa and Ngala.

The raid followed attacks in the past days, believed to be by the Islamist sect, which killed 36 fishermen in Mukdolo under Ngala Local Government bordering Dikwa village on March 10, 2023.

The armed terrorists headed by Abu Darda and Abu Muhammed, also stormed Mafa town in the early morning hours of March 19th, a few hours after the elections, but the attack was thwarted by the troops, resulting in the killing of scores of the terrorists and recovery of two of their gun trucks.

“Consequently upon the major offensive, military equipment including One gun truck, three Dushka, motorcycles, and several other weapons were recovered from the busted terrorist base.

“The terrorists’ Commander, (Amir Jaysh) Abu Mohammed, in the company of few fighters reportedly fled in disarray due to the superior firepower from the soldiers, thus abandoning their properties worth millions of Naira in the terrorists’ house which were destroyed by the troops.” the sources told Makama.

Likewise, troops of 222 Battalion, Operation Hadin Kai have killed several ISWAP members in the North East of Konduga in Borno state.

It was gathered that the terrorists launched the attack with heavy gunfire on the military formation guarding the trenches in the area at about 6:45 pm last Saturday, at the time Muslim faithful were breaking their Ramadan fast.

Makama also disclosed that the troops swiftly engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle forcing them to withdraw.

But in a show of gallantry, the troops, led by their Commander, chased the fleeing terrorists who attempted to escape towards the axis of the Sambisa forest and neutralised seven of them.

A source told Makama that, “We recovered their truck, Anti Aircraft Gun, and all their weapons. No casualty was recorded on the side of the troops during the attack.”