Troops foil terrorist infiltration from Mandara Mountains into Bitta

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have foiled an early-morning attempt by terrorists to infiltrate Bitta from the Mandara Mountains in the North East, neutralising several insurgents in the process. The operation took place in the early hours of Thursday after troops detected suspicious movements toward the community.

In a statement, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said troops exercised tactical restraint before engaging the insurgents once they moved into effective range. He said the encounter led to the killing of several fighters, including a key commander and his cameraman.

The military said as the remaining terrorists tried to withdraw, precision airstrikes carried out by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI targeted retreating elements and disrupted their escape routes. Ground forces later conducted a sweep of the area.

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Items recovered included AK-47 rifles, PKT machine guns, ammunition, magazines, motorcycles, bicycles, communication devices and a camcorder. The army said signs such as blood trails and shallow graves suggested additional casualties among the fleeing insurgents, as operations continue across the region.