Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have recorded fresh operational gains across the North-East, rescuing abducted civilians, neutralising a terrorist, and sustaining pressure on insurgent strongholds as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations under Operation DESERT SANITY V and related missions.

In a significant breakthrough, troops conducting offensive operations in the Amuda area successfully rescued two victims abducted during the March 3, 2026 terrorist attack on Ngoshe community in Borno State.

The rescued victims, identified as 20-year-old Maryam Muhammad and her one-year-four-month-old son, Bello Muhammad, were reportedly held in a terrorist enclave within the Mandara Mountains before escaping amid sustained military bombardments targeting insurgent hideouts.

Following medical evaluation, both victims were reunited with their family members through community leaders in Ngoshe.

In a separate operation, troops deployed in Wulgo and the proposed Combat Outpost (COP) Jagarawaji, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), carried out coordinated clearance missions across Wulgo, Gumsari, and Hausari communities.

During the operation, security forces uncovered evidence of terrorist activity, including makeshift medical facilities reportedly used to treat injured fighters. Recovered items included blood transfusion materials, antibiotics, ammunition, and a uniform believed to belong to a terrorist commander.

Troops also neutralised one suspected terrorist during the operation, while no casualties were recorded among the security personnel.

Meanwhile, sustained military pressure on insurgent enclaves continues to trigger the surrender of relatives and dependants of terrorist fighters.

In the Gwoza axis, a 50-year-old woman identified as Ghwa’a Biwa surrendered to troops after escaping from a terrorist camp in the Mandara Mountains. According to military sources, she cited continuous military offensives and worsening living conditions within the camps as reasons for her decision to flee.

Similarly, 19-year-old Binta Umaru and her two-year-old daughter, Hafsat Ibrahim, escaped from another insurgent enclave and surrendered to troops along the Gwoza–Limankara road.

The military said all surrendered individuals have been screened, documented, and are undergoing further profiling in accordance with established procedures.

Operation HADIN KAI stated that the latest developments reflect the growing impact of sustained military operations on terrorist networks and support structures operating around the Mandara Mountains and neighbouring border communities.

The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining pressure on insurgent groups, rescuing abducted civilians, and restoring lasting peace, security, and economic stability across the North-East region.

Military authorities commended the troops for their professionalism and operational successes, urging them to sustain the current momentum in the ongoing fight against terrorism.