ISWAP scamper in disarray as NAF, ground troops repel attack on Banki in Bama LGA
Fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) reportedly fled in disarray on Friday after troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), successfully repelled an attempted attack on a military base in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the insurgents launched the attack in the early hours of Friday, advancing in large numbers in an attempt to overrun the military formation.
The sources said the troops immediately engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle, effectively resisting the assault and preventing the insurgents from breaching the base.
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According to the sources, while the exchange of fire was ongoing, the Nigerian Air Force scrambled an aircraft to provide aerial support to the ground troops.
“On sighting the approaching aircraft, the terrorists took to their heels and were seen scampering in disarray into nearby bushes to escape the superior firepower of the troops and the air component,” one of the sources said.
The sources added that the attempted attack was successfully foiled, forcing the insurgents to abandon the operation.
There were no immediate reports of casualties as security forces have commenced assessment and clearance operations in the area.
Banki, a border town near Cameroon in Bama LGA, remains one of the key frontline locations in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in Borno.