Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai have killed 12 suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters during an attempted attack on a military formation in Kirawa, a border community in Borno State.

The operation, carried out under Operation Desert Sanity and Siege Operations, took place in the early hours of May 22 along the Nigeria-Cameroon border axis.

Spokesman for Operation Hadin Kai, Sani Uba, disclosed on Sunday in Maiduguri that suspected ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters attempted to infiltrate positions occupied by troops of the 153 Task Force Battalion and allied forces in the Kirawa axis of Sector 1.

According to him, the attack was quickly detected and met with heavy resistance from troops and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, forcing the insurgents to retreat toward the Cameroon border with significant casualties.

Uba said intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, alongside the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai and partner forces, provided coordinated support throughout the operation.

He added that troops later confirmed the killing of 12 terrorists, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds, leaving visible blood trails along their withdrawal routes.

Items recovered after the encounter included AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, ammunition, and a PKT machine gun.

Troops, working alongside the Civilian Joint Task Force, have continued exploitation operations in the area to track fleeing insurgents and recover more weapons.

The Joint Task Force reiterated its commitment to sustaining military pressure on terrorist groups operating within the Northeast theatre until they are fully dismantled.

Military authorities also commended the troops for their professionalism, bravery and swift response during the operation, urging them to sustain the momentum in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.