Troops Destroy Improvised Explosive Devices, Clear Communities in Borno Wet Season Offensive
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have destroyed two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and conducted extensive clearance operations across parts of Borno State as part of ongoing wet season offensives aimed at denying Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists freedom of movement.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the coordinated operations were carried out on July 21 under Operation DESERT SANITY V by troops of Sector 2 in collaboration with volunteer forces.
The sources said troops of the 19 Battalion (Mechanised) and 25 Brigade Garrison, comprising 134 soldiers supported by 100 volunteer fighters, mounted on four Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, six gun trucks, three troop-carrying vehicles, one VP1 vehicle and 17 motorcycles, conducted a clearance operation along the Damboa–Bulabulin–Kumala Main Supply Route and adjoining communities.
During the operation, troops swept the Kumala and Bulabulin general areas, where they discovered two primed improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted along the route by suspected terrorists.
The explosive devices were safely detonated in situ by the troops, preventing what security sources described as a potential attack on military personnel and civilian road users.
The troops also encountered a suspected terrorist logistics supplier, who fled upon sighting the advancing forces. A search of the area led to the recovery of one bicycle and two bags of charcoal, believed to have been intended for terrorist elements operating within the area.
In a related operation conducted simultaneously, combined troops of the 162 Amphibious Battalion, 231 Battalion and 331 Artillery Regiment, alongside 117 volunteer fighters, carried out clearance patrols across Diwa, Liya, Bam, Ngilu, Sura, Pela and Pela Sanga communities.
The combined force, comprising 32 soldiers mounted on two MRAPs and 75 motorcycles, thoroughly searched the communities and surrounding areas.
No terrorist camps were discovered during the operation, and the troops made no contact with insurgents.
Military sources said the clearance operations form part of sustained efforts under Operation DESERT SANITY V to dominate the theatre, secure key supply routes, detect explosive hazards and prevent terrorists from re-establishing camps during the rainy season.
The sources added that the overall security situation across the North-East theatre remains calm but unpredictable, while troops continue to maintain high morale and operational readiness in ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
