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Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, have killed more than 20 suspected terrorists in air operations conducted in Monguno and Biu Local Government Areas of Borno State.
The operations were carried out between the night of Thursday, August 21, and the early hours of Friday, August 22, 2026, following intelligence-led precision strikes on suspected terrorist concentrations.
The headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI said the operations were based on credible intelligence and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions that identified the movements and gathering of suspected terrorists.
In a statement issued by the Acting Military Information Officer, Captain Mohammed Goni, the task force said an armed reconnaissance platform first detected suspected terrorists around the Aduwa axis in Monguno Local Government Area before identifying a larger concentration within a settlement.
Following the required operational procedures and authorisation, a precision strike was conducted on the identified target.
The military said a subsequent Battle Damage Assessment indicated that about 16 terrorists were neutralised in two precision strikes.
It added that the platform continued surveillance of the area and later detected another group of suspected terrorists attempting to regroup away from the initial target.
According to the statement, another precision engagement was conducted, with an assessment indicating that about 10 terrorists were successfully engaged.
In a separate operation around Buratai in Biu Local Government Area, another Operation HADIN KAI air platform reportedly tracked a group of suspected terrorists gathered at a location.
The military said the platform conducted a precision strike after sustained surveillance and the requisite authorisation, killing about 10 more suspected terrorists.
The task force said the operations demonstrated the growing effectiveness of its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in detecting and disrupting terrorist movements before they could pose threats to troops and vulnerable communities.
It said the latest strikes were also expected to weaken terrorist freedom of action, disrupt their command and control structures and put additional pressure on their logistics and fighting formations.
Operation HADIN KAI said its kinetic operations were being complemented by community engagement, strategic communication, counter-messaging, humanitarian coordination and efforts to encourage terrorists and their associates to abandon violence and surrender.
The task force urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
It said community cooperation remained essential to early threat detection, the protection of lives and property and the consolidation of gains in the counter-terrorism campaign.
