Troops of Sector 2 of the North East Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai have killed 24 fighters of Boko Haram following a failed attack on Kukareta community in Damaturu Local Government Area (LGA) of Yobe State.
The insurgents were neutralised in the early hours of Tuesday after launching what the military described as a coordinated assault on the border community along the Damaturu–Maiduguri road.
According to the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt Col Sani Uba, the attack began shortly after midnight and lasted until about 3:00 am, when troops successfully repelled the assailants.
He said the soldiers responded with what he termed a deliberate offensive-defensive operation, forcing the attackers into a disorderly retreat.
“During the engagement, troops inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers and killed 24 terrorists,” Uba said in a statement.
He added that troops recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition during ongoing exploitation of the area.
READ ALSO: Troops Arrest 15-year-old Suspect over Deadly Borno Attack
Items recovered included 18 AK-47 rifles, three General Purpose Machine Guns, two PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, three RPG launch tubes, two mortar tubes, four hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines and large quantities of ammunition.
The army confirmed that two soldiers were injured during the operation and have since been stabilised.
It added that a reinforcing armoured vehicle was also damaged, with its tyres blown out during the engagement.
Uba further disclosed follow-up operations are continuing along the withdrawal routes of the insurgents, where blood trails and medical supplies were reportedly found.
He described the operation as evidence of the troops’ combat readiness and fire superiority in denying insurgents freedom of movement in the area.