The Defence Headquarters says the troops of Operation Fire Ball have eliminated 22 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists in a recent encounter at Damboa in Borno.
The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the terrorists attempted an attack on Army Super Camp Damboa under 25 Brigade in Sector 2.
Onyeuko said that Operation fireball is a subsidiary operation under Operation Lafiya Dole recently launched to clear the remnants of the terrorists from the theatre.
He said that the terrorists met their waterloo on Oct. 25 as they were pounded with superior firepower and additional fire support from the Air Task Force.
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According to him, the criminals withdrew as they could not withstand the well organised and determined soldiers during the encounter.
“The Boko Haram terrorists suffered severe casualties as 22 terrorists were neutralized and others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
“Two-Gun trucks were destroyed, while one NSV Anti Aircraft Gun, two Rocket Propelled Grenade Tubes, four PKT Machine guns, One General Purpose Machine Gun, one Browning machine gun, 12 Ak47 Rifles, one AK74 Rifle were recovered.
“Other items include: one RPG 7 bomb, 116 Rounds of 7.62mm NATO and two hand grenades were recovered from the terrorists,” he said.
Onyeuko also disclosed that few soldiers who were wounded in action had since been evacuated for medical attention.
He commended the troops for the resilience, doggedness and commitment they had exhibited since the beginning of Operation Fire Ball.
“They are equally encouraged not to rest on their oars but build on the successes recorded.
“The entire populace of the North East are hereby assured of the Nigerian military high command’s determination to finally rout the remnants the BHT/ISWAP criminals from their enclaves in this zone,” he added.