ISWAP Second-in-Comman,10 Insurgents Neutralized in Sambisa Forest
ISWAP Second-in-Comman,10 Insurgents Neutralized in Sambisa Forest
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralized Abu Khalid, the second-in-command of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in the Sambisa Forest.
The high-stakes operation, conducted late Saturday night, also resulted in the deaths of 10 other insurgents. This mission marks a major victory in the ongoing effort to dismantle the leadership of terror groups in Nigeria’s North-East.
The encounter took place in the Komala area of Borno State following a fierce gun battle initiated by intelligence-led strikes.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba confirmed that the operation was part of “Operation Desert Sanity,” a collaborative effort between the military and the Civilian Joint Task Force. The precision of the attack allowed troops to catch the high-ranking militants off guard within their forest stronghold.
Military officials emphasized that Khalid was a key strategist responsible for the group’s logistics and tactical planning.
His elimination is expected to severely disrupt the insurgents’ ability to coordinate future attacks. Specifically, the military statement asserted, “Abu Khalid was a high-value target within the terrorist hierarchy, responsible for coordinating operations and logistics across the Sambisa axis.”
This success follows the recent elimination of another notorious commander, Julaibib, in the Timbuktu Triangle. These consecutive losses have reportedly thrown the terrorist organization into disarray and weakened its command-and-control mechanisms.
Intelligence indicates that surviving fighters are now fleeing toward various hideouts to escape the military’s relentless pursuit.
Following the firefight, troops recovered a significant cache of weapons, including AK-47 rifles, magazines, and bicycles used for forest mobility. They also seized food and medical supplies intended for the insurgents.
Most notably, the Nigerian military reported that no soldiers or civilian volunteers sustained casualties during the intense engagement.
The Joint Task Force has vowed to maintain this operational tempo until all remnants of Boko Haram and ISWAP are neutralized.
Morale remains high as clearance operations continue across the Mandara Mountains and other known terrorist enclaves.
This victory is seen as a vital step toward restoring peace and stability to the Lake Chad Basin.
