300 insurgents killed, Troops reclaim 11 Borno towns

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, yesterday, said 11 communities have been recovered in Borno State in the renewed onslaught against the Boko Haram insurgency.
DHQ also confirmed the killing of over 300 insurgents in the massive attacks.
The liberated communities are Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Zuntur, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul.
In a statement through the Director of Defence Information, DDI, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, in Abuja, the DHQ said that it also lost two soldiers, while 10 others were wounded in the course of the operations.

One of the Hilux vehicles captured, bomb boxes, ammunition and a captured member of the terrorists.

It further disclosed that a large number of terrorists, arms, ammunitions, explosives, and vehicles were captured while others were destroyed by troops.
The DHQ said that this was the result of the mopping up operation of some of the communities where terrorists have been cleared in the course of ongoing air and land operations against terrorists.
Within the last three days, the troops were engaged in a heavy fighting against the insurgents, who had earlier taken full control of those communities.
Troops however were said to have emerged victorious given the massive casualty inflicted on the terrorists.
“Over 300 terrorists were killed, while a few were also captured. Several weapons and equipment were also captured and some destroyed,” the DHQ stated.
It confirmed that five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an antiaircraft gun, about 50 cases of packed bombs and 8 different types of Machine Guns, five Rocket Propelled Grenade, 49 boxes of various types and calibres of ammunition as well as 300 motorcycles were destroyed in the fighting.
Also a total of 6 Hilux vehicles including those mounted with anti-aircraft guns were destroyed.
“However, two soldiers lost their lives, while 10 others were wounded in the course of the operation,” it said.
The DHQ said that cordon and search operations was continuing along with aggressive patrols by troops who are now dominating the cleared communities
It stressed that the various phases of the highly coordinated air and land operations was also ongoing in the designated theaters being handled by contingents involved in the renewed counter terrorism campaign in and outside Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the National Information Centre, NIC, Mr. Mike Omeri yesterday disclosed that some terrorists had been arrested at the IDP camps in the north east.
Omeri, who declined to speak more on the matter, citing security as excuse, saying that the military bombardment on Boko Haram hideouts had forced some insurgents to take shelter at the IDP camps.
Omeri spoke in Abuja on the security situation in the country.
He said the Federal Government had made some laudable improvement on the fight against terrorism, even as he called on the general public to be vigilant, as some insurgents were leaving their hideouts to mix with people.
“There has been increased regional cooperation between the countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission resulting in the recapture of territories by the Nigerian military and the multi-national forces which are, simultaneously, shielding off new attacks.
“The fight against Boko Haram is, therefore, gaining the regional solidarity it deserves.
“Particularly, Nigerian troops have recaptured the towns of Monguno and Marte, among others, while military operations are continuing at other locations in the area.
“However, because of the heavy bombardment of various Boko Haram hideouts, there has been massive dispersal of these elements to various locations including the numerous IDP camps from where many of them have been smoked out and arrested. “Therefore, people living in relatively peaceful places within and near the north east region and, in fact, all Nigerians are urged to be vigilant and report strange faces and movements promptly to the security authorities,” he said.