Three security personnel killed as troops foil Borno ISWAP attack

Two soldiers and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed while repelling a midnight attack by the Islamic State of West Africa Province in Mairari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Acting Military Information Officer, North East Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, Capt Muhammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the CIB XIX troops, while repelling the attack on a Forward Operating Base in the area on Wednesday, also inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists.

The statement read, “The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), has once again demonstrated its resilience and combat superiority as troops of CIB XIX at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Mairari successfully repelled a determined night attack by ISWAP terrorists in Mairari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

“On 1 July 2026, at about 2325 hours, the terrorists launched an attack on the base. The troops responded with exceptional gallantry, engaging the attackers in a fierce firefight and forcing them to withdraw in confusion after inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists and destroying their equipment.”

He listed items recovered as AK-47 rifles, magazines loaded with ammunition, rocket-propelled gun tubes, among others.

He further noted that surveillance footage confirmed the evacuation of several dead and wounded terrorists from the battlefield.

“It will be recalled that the Mairari community had only recently been resettled, with over 950 households returning to the area,” Goni said.

The attack, according to him, was also a desperate attempt by the terrorists to instil fear among the residents and disrupt the ongoing resettlement process.

“However, their objective was thwarted, as no civilian casualties were recorded in the community during the attack,” he said.

Related News No Yobe LGA under terrorists’ control – SSG

Over 1,700 terror suspects convicted since 2017 – FG

Benue dismantles over 20 illegal checkpoints on highway

“Regrettably, two soldiers and one member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) paid the supreme price during the intense encounter,” he added.

Goni explained that some equipment was damaged by rocket-propelled grenade fire during the encounter.

He added that the theatre command mourned the fallen heroes and extended its heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones.

In a related development,  the army spokesman said a reinforcement team from Monguno successfully detected and safely detonated two Improvised Explosive Devices emplaced along the route before engaging the fleeing terrorists.

“The swift intervention further disrupted the insurgents’ withdrawal and inflicted additional casualties on them,” he stated.

Goni added that the successful repulsion of the attack underscored the high level of operational readiness, resilience, and combat effectiveness of the troops of Operation Hadin Kai.

“Despite the terrorists’ desperate attempt to overrun the location, the troops maintained full control of the base and continued to dominate the operational environment through sustained offensive operations,” he stressed.

The theatre command commended the courage, resilience, and fighting spirit of the troops for successfully defeating the terrorists and denying them any operational success.

He assured that Operation Hadin Kai remained steadfast in its commitment to defeating terrorism and restoring lasting peace, security, and stability across the North East.