Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, have repelled coordinated assaults by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province fighters on two frontline communities in Borno State, preventing what security sources described as a bid to overrun key military positions.

The attacks targeted Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area and Mandaragirau in Biu Local Government Area, both long-contested locations in the North-East theatre of operations. Military authorities said the assaults were launched by fighters advancing from the Sambisa Forest axis, a long-established insurgent stronghold.

In Pulka, terrorists mounted a fierce offensive on Sector 1 troops, attempting to break through the defensive perimeter. Soldiers responded with sustained fire, engaging the attackers in close combat. A section of the perimeter was briefly breached, resulting in the destruction of some combat equipment and accommodation facilities, but reinforcements from 26 Brigade quickly stabilised the position and forced the insurgents to withdraw toward Sambisa.

Military sources said credible battlefield reports indicated heavy losses on the insurgent side. A senior commander identified as Abou Aisha was said to have suffered a critical gunshot wound to the neck and later died, alongside several fighters. Weapons and equipment were reportedly abandoned as the attackers retreated under pressure. No troop casualties were recorded in the Pulka engagement.

In a separate but related operation, troops of Sector 2 in Mandaragirau came under a coordinated, multi-directional attack by ISWAP fighters using gun trucks and motorcycles. Anticipating such an offensive, commanders had pre-positioned combat teams and layered defences around the location.

The ensuing firefight was intense but the attackers were ultimately repelled, and the base itself was not overrun. However, the military confirmed that some soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed in action. Wounded personnel were evacuated by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai and Nigerian Army aviation assets for treatment.

Follow-up operations along the Kimba axis reportedly uncovered blood trails, shallow graves and abandoned items, suggesting that insurgent casualties were higher than initially estimated and that several wounded fighters were hurriedly evacuated from the battlefield.

High Command officials commended the troops for what they described as professionalism, resilience and courage under fire, saying the failed attacks underscored mounting pressure on terrorist networks in the North-East. Operation Hadin Kai reiterated its commitment to dismantling remaining cells and restoring lasting peace and stability across Borno and the wider region.