Troops Repel Terrorist Ambush After IED Blast on Damboa–Kumala Road, Escort 134 Civilian Vehicles Safely
By Zagazola Makama
Combined troops of the 19 Battalion (Motorised), 25 Brigade Garrison and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have successfully repelled a terrorist ambush after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated along the Damboa–Bulabulin–Kumala Main Supply Route in Borno State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 1:00 p.m. on July 4 while the combined security team was conducting an escort and dominance patrol along the strategic highway.
According to the sources, the patrol encountered a command-wire IED approximately two kilometres from the Kumala crossing point. Moments after the explosion, the terrorists launched an ambush on the convoy in an attempt to disrupt the movement of troops and civilian vehicles.
The troops responded with superior firepower, forcing the attackers to withdraw from the area without inflicting casualties on the security personnel.
Although no soldier was injured during the encounter, the explosion damaged two tyres of a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. The damaged tyres were immediately replaced, enabling the convoy to continue its mission.
Following the successful clearance of the route, the troops safely escorted 63 civilian vehicles to the Kumala crossing point before returning and escorting another 71 vehicles back to Damboa without further incident.
Military sources said the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of the ongoing security escort along the Damboa–Kumala corridor, a critical route frequently targeted by insurgents seeking to disrupt civilian movement and logistics.
They added that clearance operations and convoy escorts would continue to ensure the safety of commuters and deny terrorists freedom of action along major supply routes in the North-East.
