By Musa Ubandawaki
Nigerian troops have dismantled a suspected terrorist network and recovered a cache of weapons during a major counter-terrorism operation in Kadam Forest, Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The operation was carried out by troops of the Chief of Army Staff Special Intervention Battalion 7 in collaboration with the 8 Division Strike Team under the Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma.
Security sources disclosed that the operation targeted terrorists linked to the Lakurawa group following credible intelligence that over 100 armed fighters had assembled deep inside Kadam Forest to coordinate attacks and kidnappings in surrounding communities.
The intelligence further indicated that the group was using the forest as a transit base to move abducted victims to hidden camps within the area.
The troops acting on the information, swiftly mobilised to the location and established contact with the terrorists at about noon, triggering a fierce gun battle within the forest.
The confrontation, according to the military sources, terrorists attempted a rear flanking manoeuvre in a bid to outwit the advancing troops. However, the soldiers maintained tactical superiority and repelled the attackers with overwhelming firepower.
The source confirmed that three of the terrorists were neutralised in the encounter, while several others were believed to have sustained gunshot wounds as they fled deeper into the forest.
During the encounter the troops recovered a cache of arms and operational equipment from the scene, including one PKT machine gun, two AK-47 rifles, 350 rounds of PKT ammunition, 111 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, three rifle magazines, two communication radios, three motorcycles and a mobile phone.
The source however disclosed that follow-up operations are ongoing to track down fleeing members of the terrorist group, verify additional casualties and recover more weapons and logistics abandoned during the clash.
The military further maintained that the troops morale remains high and operational efficiency strong, noting that intelligence-driven joint operations continue to play a critical role in dismantling terrorist networks across the North-West.
“Aggressive patrols have been intensified and sustained offensive operations in the general area to consolidate the gains recorded, disrupt escaping terrorist elements and prevent any attempt at regrouping,” said the military sources.
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