The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the death of 22 soldiers and over 70 insurgents in an ongoing military operation in the Timbuktu Triangle, a notorious terrorist stronghold in Borno State.
The operation, which is being conducted by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, began on January 16, 2025, and is aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves in the region.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, revealed that the operation had resulted in multiple encounters with insurgents.
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Buba confirmed that among the insurgents killed during the operation were three high-ranking commanders: Talha, the Terrorist Special Forces Commander; Mallam Umar, the Operations Commander; and Abu Yazeed, the Brigade Commander.
Maj-Gen. Buba stated, “Troops of Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East of the country conducted a clearance operation to a renowned terrorist stronghold and enclave known as Timbuktu Triangle. The three-pronged operation, aimed at dismantling the terrorist presence within the triangle, commenced on 16 January 2025 and is still ongoing.
“Troops recorded several encounters with terrorists during the course of the clearance operation, resulting in the neutralisation of over 70 terrorists, including three notable commanders. These commanders include: Talha (Terrorist Special Forces Commander), Mallam Umar (Terrorist Operations Commander), and Abu Yazeed (Terrorist Brigade Commander).”
He explained that during the operation, insurgents deployed a variety of deadly tactics, including the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), suicide bombers, and drones. Despite these tactics, the troops successfully repelled these attacks and demonstrated superior tactical capabilities.
“Throughout the operation, the terrorists used Improvised Explosive Devices, Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (suicide bombers), and Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (suicide bombers in explosive vehicles) in an attempt to prevent the troops’ advance and retaliate. However, the troops, who are already familiar with these tactics, thwarted several attempts, including shooting down the amateur drones used by the terrorists,” Maj-Gen. Buba said.
While acknowledging the loss of 22 soldiers in the operation, Maj-Gen. Buba appealed to the media to refrain from publishing the names of fallen troops until their families have been formally notified.
“Overall, during the course of the operation, troops sadly recorded 22 killed-in-action casualties, with several others wounded in action. On this note, the media is urged to refrain from publishing the names of troop casualties to allow the formal notification of their next of kin,” he said.
