The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, has repelled a coordinated ISWAP attack in Borno, neutralising several terrorists and recovering weapons and ammunition. The attack occurred at about 2am on Saturday, August 15, 2026, when ISWAP fighters launched a simultaneous assault on the Forward Operating Base Mandaragirau in Biu Local Government Area.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, in Maiduguri. According to Goni, the attackers approached the military location from two fronts but were detected through the troops’ early warning and surveillance systems. A combat team was subsequently deployed to intercept one group along its advance route.
“Contact was made, resulting in a heavy exchange of fire during which the combat team decisively defeated the attackers on that front,” Goni said.
He explained that a second group attempted to bypass the ambush and infiltrate the military camp but encountered superior firepower from the troops. The coordinated response forced the terrorists to retreat from the area, prompting soldiers to launch a hot pursuit while exploiting the contact zone and the routes used by the attackers to withdraw. The operation resulted in the recovery of several weapons and other military equipment.
Recovered items included AK-47 rifles with loaded magazines, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with bombs and chargers, a camcorder video camera and other combat equipment. Goni said surveillance footage obtained after the operation also showed the fleeing terrorists dragging away the bodies of some of their colleagues killed during the confrontation towards the Timbuktu Triangle.
The successful repulsion of the ISWAP attack in Borno was described by the military as another demonstration of the operational readiness and combat effectiveness of troops deployed under Operation HADIN KAI. The Theatre Command commended personnel of the 162 Amphibious Battalion for their courage, professionalism and tactical response during the attack.
“The Theatre Command therefore commends the leadership, courage, and professionalism of troops of 162 Amphibious Battalion for their exceptional bravery and tactical excellence in decisively defeating the terrorists’ assault,” Goni said.
He added that Operation HADIN KAI remained committed to denying terrorist groups freedom of action across the North-East. The latest operation comes as the military continues efforts to maintain pressure on insurgent groups and strengthen security across communities affected by terrorism in the region.
