Deadly Ambush Kills Nine Soldiers in Borno
No fewer than nine soldiers were killed yesterday and several others injured, when their convoy hit a landmine and came under fire from terrorists in Borno State.
The attack took place on Sunday near Bindundul village, some 12 miles from Kareto, an area where Daesh-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters were said to operate freely and often set up checkpoints.
According to two security sources from the Damasak brigade, “The terrorists planted a mine that our soldiers stepped on. Unfortunately, about nine soldiers died instantly, while five others were seriously injured.”
A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force involved in the rescue operation, Abba Kaka Tuja, added that an armoured vehicle was destroyed when the mine detonated, followed by sporadic gunfire from militants.
The soldiers were traveling from Maiduguri to Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area, when the attack occurred around 1600 GMT, Tuja said.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) eliminated five terrorists and rescued kidnapped civilians during a coordinated offensive in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, the military announced.
In a statement yesterday, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant-Colonel Sani Uba, said the operation was carried out in the early hours of January 4, 2026 following credible intelligence on terrorist movements in the area.
According to the statement, troops, working in close collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), engaged the terrorists at a known crossing point along the Sojiri axis.
The encounter resulted in the neutralisation of five terrorists, with no casualties recorded among the troops.
The operation also led to the successful rescue of three civilians, who had been abducted by the fleeing terrorists.
Items recovered at the scene included AK-47 rifles and other assorted materials believed to have been used by the insurgents.
Uba said the outcome of the operation underscored the professionalism, precision and combat effectiveness of the troops, as well as the value of sustained cooperation with local security stakeholders.
