Askira: Mop-up operation revealed dozens of ISWAP fighetrs, commander killed, weapons recovered

In the counterinsurgency battle at Askira Uba, Borno, that lasted more than eight hours Saturday, a top-ranking commander of ISWAP and other terrorists were eliminated by the federal troop.

The ISWAP terrorists in a reprisal over the killing of their members by military jets a day before, however killed, Brigadier-General Dzarma Zirkushi, the commander of 28 Task Force Brigade, Chibok, alongside three other soldiers, while on their way to reinforce troops at Bungulwa village, near Askira Uba on Saturday.

The Nigerian troops, later retreated, regrouped, reinforced and ambushed the ISWAP Commander and eliminated his fighters at Askira Uba axis.

A military source confirmed to PRNigeria that over 37 bodies of the insurgents were killed on Saturday .

Nine gun trucks, an armoured personnel carrier (APC) and one Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) were destroyed or recovered by the Nigerian troops.

“This morning while we are still mopping the area, we have so far counted 37 corpses of the terrorists, while one of their leaders, a commander who was arrested for further investigation died in custody this morning.

“We also recovered dozens of sophisticated guns during the clearance operation,” he said.