Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, with air support from the Nigerian Air Force, have eliminated three senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province along with about 80 fighters during a foiled overnight assault on Mallam Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area. The operation was confirmed on Wednesday by the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba. He explained that the insurgents, who advanced on foot from the Duguri axis and deployed armed drones, attempted to breach the main defensive position of the 68 Battalion around 12:50 a.m., but were successfully pushed back.
Uba identified the senior commanders neutralised in the clash as Mallam Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram, and Abou Ayyuba, describing them as key coordinators of the failed mission. Several other fighters were also confirmed killed, including Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, Abu Ali, Abba Gana Kawiyya, and Ahmodu Hirasama. He noted that the troops had maintained strong battlefield awareness, anticipated the assault, and set up a coordinated defensive and offensive response that overwhelmed the attackers.
According to him, disciplined firepower, coordinated ground manoeuvres, and effective tactical execution led to the attackers being scattered and defeated, with no fewer than 80 insurgents taken out during the encounter. He added that precision close air support from the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, alongside rapid strike missions by allied Nigerien air forces, intensified pressure on the retreating fighters.
Following the confrontation, troops recovered a large cache of weapons, ammunition, and operational equipment from the scene. Recovered items reportedly include 52 AK-47 rifles, eight PKT machine guns, seven RPG launch tubes, five general-purpose machine guns, more than 3,000 rounds of assorted 7.62mm ammunition, 21 RPG bombs, nine locally made improvised explosive devices, several ammunition magazines, communication radios, and parts of weaponised drones.
Despite the scale of the attack, Uba said casualties on the military side were limited. Four soldiers sustained injuries but were quickly treated and stabilised.He added that further battle damage assessments from air interdiction missions are still ongoing, noting that the removal of the commanders and fighters significantly weakens the insurgents’ leadership structure and operational strength in the area.
Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/
