By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have delivered a crushing blow to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terror networks with the elimination of a top Sambisa Forest commander in a daring night operation in Borno State.
The terrorists’ second-in-command in Sambisa, Abu Khalid, was neutralised alongside 10 other fighters when troops stormed their hideout during a late-night offensive in Konduga Local Government Area, military authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The operation, executed around 11:00 p.m., came barely 24 hours after troops eliminated another high-value Boko Haram/ISWAP commander, Julaibib, in the Gujba axis of the notorious Timbuktu Triangle—signalling an intensified military onslaught against insurgent leadership.
According to military sources, troops of Sector 1, working in close coordination with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) under Operation DESERT SANITY, made contact with terrorists at the Komala general area, triggering a fierce exchange of fire.
Abu Khalid, described as a key figure within the Boko Haram command structure, was responsible for coordinating operations, logistics and movement of fighters across the Sambisa axis making his elimination a major setback for the group’s operational capability.
After the successful engagement, troops recovered a cache of terrorist equipment, including five AK-47 rifles, loaded magazines, several bicycles used for mobility, assorted logistics and food supplies, as well as large quantities of medical consumables, believed to be used for treating wounded fighters.
Notably, the military recorded no casualty among its troops, a development that further boosted morale across the theatre of operations.
Military authorities said clearance operations are ongoing across Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountains, the Timbuktu Triangle and other identified Boko Haram and ISWAP enclaves, as troops sustain pressure on fleeing terrorists.
The Joint Task Force (North East) reaffirmed its resolve to maintain the current operational momentum until all terrorist elements are decisively neutralised and lasting peace, security and economic stability are restored to the region.
The Military High Command has commended the troops for their courage, discipline and sacrifice, urging them to sustain the tempo of operations in the ongoing war against terrorism and allied criminal networks in the North East.
As coordinated strikes continue to decimate insurgent leadership, military sources say the days of Boko Haram and ISWAP in their former strongholds are rapidly running out.
