After 200 fighters, including five top commanders, were killed in a devastating attack by Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) troops on the outskirts of Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram has suffered yet another significant setback.
Operation Hadin Kai, a coordinated aerial and ground operation led by intelligence, was launched on September 1, 2022, and it targeted terrorist hideouts in the villages of Gaizuwa, also known as Gabchari, Sheruri, Mantari, and Mallum Masari, which are situated in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
An intelligence officer confirmed the successful operation resulted in the elimination of high-ranking commanders such as Abou Hauwa, (Munzir) Amir Shettima, Akura Buri (Nakif), Abou Zainab, and Abou Idris as well as their fighters, according to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad.
According to the sources, during the raid, ground troops raided a terrorist hideout in Gafchari where they engaged the troops in a gun battle that resulted in the deaths of over 30 combatants while others managed to flee with gunshot wounds.
According to the reports, the ATF delegated two Super Tucano to undertake air interdiction missions against the insurgents in close coordination with the ground troops, leading to the death of an additional 70 fighters, many of whom tried to flee but drowned in the river.
He claimed that "similar strikes were also carried out at Sheruri when the combat aircraft struck another site of fighters stationed to set up an ambush against own ground troops.
He said that the Super Tucano had killed two terrorist commanders, Akura Buri (Nakif) and Abou Hauwa, along with more than 63 of their warriors and foot soldiers, in devastating attacks.
“In another separate encounter with the terrorists during the robust fighting patrol, the troops succeeded in eliminating scores of insurgents in the axis of Mantari after a gun battle which lasted for about two and half hours.
“In Gazuwa, the troops destroyed two vehicles and the home of Abou Iklilima which used to be hideouts to insurgent Leaders. Other makeshift tents and properties belonging to terrorists were also destroyed,” he said.
According to him, few of the surviving terrorists who escaped the military raids returned on September 3 to recover the bodies of their dead fighters at Sheruri and Gabchari.
He added that they were able to recover 36 additional bodies of fighters who drowned in the river in Gabchari.
“Additional nine bodies who died as a result of bullet wounds were recovered around the bushes in Gaizuwa. Among them were two Boko Haram Commanders including; Abou Zainab, Abou Idris.
“While they were making preparations to conduct mass burials for their Mujahedeens, the military authorities acting on the intelligence, deployed the Super Tucano to the location, killing unspecified numbers of them.
The sources said the targets were subsequently acquired and engulfed in flames all after. The aftermath of the airstrike revealed that pandemonium broke out as the remnant of surviving terrorists took cover under nearby trees and later Fled away.
“The week-long sustained operations that were carried out simultaneously in different locations within the North East Theatre of Sambisa Forest by the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, has completely degraded the capabilities of the insurgents,” he said.