Troops of the 19 Brigade, Sector 3, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have repelled an attempted infiltration by suspected ISWAP terrorists into Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, killing several insurgents and recovering a camcorder said to contain sensitive operational footage.
The military said the failed attack occurred at about 10:20 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, when the terrorists attempted to take advantage of the cover of darkness to overrun the troops’ position.
According to the military, alert troops detected the movement early and responded with coordinated and overwhelming firepower, forcing the attackers to retreat after suffering heavy casualties.
It said intelligence indicated that the terrorists had intended to loot cholera medical supplies, a development the military said corroborated recent intelligence reports of a cholera outbreak within ISWAP enclaves and alleged executions of some infected members by the group.
The military disclosed that a terrorist cameraman was among those neutralised during the encounter, leading to the recovery of a Sony camcorder containing what it described as highly sensitive recordings of terrorist activities, including operational footage and propaganda materials.
Preliminary forensic analysis of the device, it said, suggested that the failed operation was coordinated by four senior ISWAP commanders alongside three foreign terrorist facilitators.
The foreign operatives were identified as a Palestinian Arab known as Abu Ishaq, described as ISWAP’s overall trainer, a Moroccan Arab identified as Abu Thaiba, said to be a medical doctor within the terrorist network, and another Arab operative whose identity has yet to be established.
The military said the involvement of the foreign nationals reinforced intelligence assessments that ISWAP continued to benefit from external support, specialist expertise and transnational terrorist links.
Following the engagement, troops conducted exploitation operations and recovered the Sony camcorder, several rounds of PKT and 7.62mm Special ammunition, terrorist uniforms and other combat items.
According to the military, post-engagement satellite imagery showed terrorists evacuating the bodies of some of their fighters during the retreat, while credible human intelligence sources confirmed that the group suffered heavy casualties, with several others sustaining gunshot wounds.
The military, however, disclosed that two soldiers were wounded during the firefight. It said both personnel were airlifted for advanced medical treatment and remained in stable condition.
Operation HADIN KAI described the failed infiltration as another major setback for ISWAP, saying the outcome reflected the growing difficulty faced by the terrorist group in carrying out coordinated attacks against combat-ready troops.
It reiterated its commitment to sustaining offensive operations, protecting vulnerable communities and dismantling terrorist networks until lasting peace and security are restored across the North-East.
