Military Rescues 47 ISWAP Captives in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have rescued more than 47 persons, mainly women and children, from captivity in an operation targeting Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) hideouts in Borno State.
The captives regained their freedom in Kangarwa community, Kukawa Local Government Area, following sustained military offensives against terrorist enclaves around the Lake Chad region.
The Acting Military Information Officer of OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Maiduguri.
According to Goni, the rescue occurred on June 20 as a result of continuous ground and air operations that weakened the terrorists and forced them to abandon their positions.
He said the intense pressure mounted by troops created an opportunity for the victims, who had been held for an extended period, to escape from captivity.
“The unrelenting ground and air offensives forced the terrorists to abandon their positions in confusion, enabling the victims to escape from prolonged captivity,” he said.
Goni said the rescued persons were currently receiving medical care at a secure location while humanitarian assistance was being provided to address their immediate needs.
He added that the military was working closely with relevant agencies to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of the victims into their communities.
The spokesman described the rescue as another indication of the military’s commitment to protecting civilians while sustaining operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks in the North-East.
He reiterated the determination of the Theatre Command to intensify ongoing offensives against ISWAP and other terrorist groups operating in the region.
According to him, troops will continue to target insurgent strongholds until peace and normalcy are fully restored across the North-East.
The rescue comes amid intensified military operations in the Lake Chad basin, where security forces have sustained pressure on terrorist elements through coordinated land and air assaults.
