IEDs-borne vehicle kills soldiers in Borno terror attack

Military discovers terrorists’ mass grave after assault

______________________

From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

No fewer than three soldiers and three Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) fighters have been killed after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)-borne vehicle rammed into a military location in Borno’s volatile area.

Some terrorists attacked a military location in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno using vehicles laden with explosives on Tuesday. The attack came shortly after a successful operation and assault on their enclaves in the area by troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF), North East Operation Hadin Kai.

The area, known for harbouring hundreds of terrorists and enclaves, has been a Boko Haram operational base for over a decade and is often referred to as the Timbuktu Triangle by the military.

Operation Hadin Kai spokesman, Lt Col Sani Uba, said in a statement that the attack occurred some six kilometres north of Chilaria, a volatile area where troops had earlier encountered some terrorists.

He said the two explosives-borne vehicles infiltrated the military location, though troops swiftly and successfully neutralised one of the vehicles while the other hit the location.

“The second VBIED, however, breached the defensive position affecting some logistics platforms. In the course of this attack, some gallant soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force paid the supreme price, while others sustained injuries,” he disclosed.

He explained that those wounded were immediately evacuated, through combined efforts of the Nigeria Air Force and Army Aviation team, to the 7 Division Hospital for medical care.

He also disclosed that troops discovered a mass grave containing 20 bodies believed to be some of the terrorists killed during encounters with troops in the Timbuktu Triangle (Tergejeri, Chiralia and Ajigin/Abirma general areas) and buried by the terror group.

“This discovery exposes the scale of terrorist casualties and further discredits terrorist propaganda narratives,” he maintained.