Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have eliminated 16 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and rescued 11 kidnapped victims during coordinated counter-terrorism operations across parts of Borno State.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba.

According to Uba, the latest operations followed a failed midnight attack by ISWAP fighters on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Auno on February 5, which was successfully repelled by troops of Sector 1 using superior firepower.

He said troops, working in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), launched a follow-up offensive on February 9 along the Komala axis in Konduga Local Government Area.

During the pursuit, terrorists fleeing the area were tracked to the Gidan Kaji axis, where 16 of them were neutralised, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.

Items recovered from the terrorists included more than 20 bicycles, assorted weapons and a large cache of logistics supplies believed to be vital to their operations.

In a related operation, Uba said troops arrested suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers transporting large quantities of drugs meant for terrorists around the Bukarti axis.

He added that troops also foiled a kidnap attempt along the Buratai–Kamuya road after responding swiftly to suspicious movements in the area.

Two victims, identified as Mallam Idris Adamu and Mallam Muhammadu Safiyanu, were rescued and reunited with their families in Buratai.

Similarly, troops responding to a distress call along the Chibok–Damboa axis rescued nine additional kidnapped victims on the same day.

Lt.-Col. Uba noted that the series of successful operations underscore OPHK’s sustained commitment to dismantling terrorist networks, disrupting their logistics chains and safeguarding civilians across the North-East region.