.... Force Commander visits frontline troops, praises courage and vows sustained offensive
News Story:
Troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have repelled a night-time incursion by Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters on Fitine Island community in the Bol Region of Chad’s Lake Province, killing six terrorists and recovering a cache of weapons.
The attack, which targeted troops of MNJTF Sector 2 deployed to protect the local fishing community, was successfully foiled after the insurgents attempted to infiltrate the area under the cover of darkness.
The Acting Chief Military Public Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the terrorists had hoped to overrun the military position but were met with fierce resistance.
According to the statement, the insurgents filtered into the community at night in a bid to dislodge the troops and attack the civilian population.
However, the vigilant MNJTF troops responded with superior firepower, forcing the terrorists to abandon the assault and retreat into the Lake Chad waterways with heavy casualties.
“Following exploitation, troops recovered the bodies of six neutralised terrorists, six AK-47 rifles, six fully loaded magazines, one PKT General Purpose Machine Gun, and various calibres of ammunition among other items,” the statement said.
It added that two soldiers sustained injuries during the encounter and were immediately airlifted for medical treatment.
Following the successful defence of the community, the Force Commander MNJTF, Major General Godwin Michael Mutkut, visited the location where he commended the troops for their vigilance, bravery and professionalism in defeating the terrorists despite the poor visibility under which the attack was launched.
He praised the troops for standing firm under pressure and urged them to sustain the momentum in ongoing clearance operations across the MNJTF area of responsibility.
The Force Commander noted that recent military offensives had continued to put terrorists under intense pressure across the Lake Chad Basin, forcing them into desperate attacks on isolated positions.
He cited recent successful operations in Darak and Bargaram under Sector 1 MNJTF Cameroon, where several terrorists, including foreign mercenaries, were reportedly neutralised.
Major General Mutkut charged the troops to continue denying terrorists any breathing space in future encounters and assured them of continued support in terms of logistics, combat enablers and rapid replenishment of operational needs.
During his interaction with members of the local community, the Force Commander urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or intruders to security forces promptly.
He stressed that timely and credible intelligence from the community remains critical to preventing future attacks and improving civilian safety in the Lake Chad region.
The commander also visited a medical outpost in the area, where he pledged support with drugs and other medical consumables to strengthen its capacity to serve both troops and civilians.
The latest operation underscores the continued resolve of the MNJTF to protect vulnerable communities and sustain pressure on Boko Haram/ISWAP elements operating within the Lake Chad Basin.
