Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have uncovered a mass grave containing the remains of about “20 terrorists” killed during military operations in the “Timbuktu Triangle” area of “Borno State.”
The discovery was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement by the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, who stated that the mass grave reflects the increasing casualties suffered by terrorist groups due to sustained military offensives in the area.
According to him, the bodies were of “terrorists neutralised” during encounters with troops and subsequently buried by their fleeing collaborators.
“The discovery of mass graves containing an estimated 20 terrorist bodies killed during encounters with troops in the Timbuktu Triangle further exposes the scale of casualties suffered by the terrorists and discredits their propaganda narratives,” Uba stated.
The statement highlighted significant operational successes recorded by troops in the ongoing clearance operations across the Timbuktu Triangle, noting that several key terrorist enclaves, including “Tergejeri,” “Chiralia,” and the “Ajigin/Abirma” general areas, have been cleared and placed under effective military control.
Uba explained that during the operations, troops made intermittent contact with fleeing terrorist elements and engaged them with heavy firepower, resulting in the neutralisation of several fighters.
He further revealed that on Tuesday, while troops were consolidating at a harbour location about “six kilometres” north of Chilaria, they encountered two “Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices” (VBIEDs).
“Through vigilance and swift action, one of the VBIEDs was successfully neutralised. However, the second VBIED breached the defensive position, affecting some logistics platforms,” he said.
Uba confirmed that the attack claimed the lives of some soldiers and members of the “Civilian Joint Task Force,” while others sustained injuries.
The wounded personnel were immediately evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters to the “7 Division Medical Services and Hospital” for treatment.
He added that Nigerian Air Force aircraft, in coordination with other Nigerian Army air platforms, provided continuous aerial surveillance and fire support during the evacuation to ensure the safety of ground troops, who continued to engage and neutralise fleeing terrorists.
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